Students protest Murphy's dismissal

By KRIS REILLY
Editor

LUCERNE VALLEY • More than 100 students congregated at Lucerne Valley High School on Monday to question the dismissal of their principal.

LVHS Principal Michael Murphy was placed on paid administrative leave effective last Friday, Lucerne Valley Unified School District Superintendent Mike Noga said. Murphy submitted a letter of resignation to the LVUSD board, and the resignation was accepted in closed session at last Wednesday’s board meeting, Noga said.

Noga went to the high school Monday morning to speak to a group of about 100 to 125 students who gathered on the campus to ask why Murphy was no longer at the school. Noga told them he can’t speak about the decision for legal reasons because it is a personnel matter.

“I explained to them that sometimes there are disagreements between an employer and an employee,” Noga said. “I told them they needed to return to class, and eventually they dispersed.”

Murphy’s resignation will go into effect at the end of this school year. Noga said he expects Murphy to remain on administrative leave until then.

The interim principal is Patty Courtney, an LVHS math teacher who has a graduate degree in administration. Noga said the district will begin the process of finding a permanent replacement.

Kris Reilly can be reached at kreilly@vvdailypress.com or at (760) 985-8372.