07 Mar Public’s Cries to ‘Keep Kibby’ Come Too Late as School Board Demotes Principal

Pinole Valley High principal Kibby Kleiman spoke in his daily school announcement the day after the West Contra Costa school board voted to reassign him, which he called “the worst and best night of my life.” (Screenshot captured by Samantha Kennedy / CC Pulse)

By Samantha Kennedy

The virtual and in-person crowd of 400, much of them there to save one man, was too late. Before chants of “Keep Kibby” broke out and over two hours of pleas, the West Contra Costa school board had already made their decision. 

The school board voted during closed session to reassign Pinole Valley High School principal Kibby Kleiman to a classroom assignment at the end of the school year for “reasons not related to reductions in service levels or lack of funds.” Only Trustee Leslie Reckler voted against the move. 

Kleiman did not respond to a request for comment but briefly spoke about the meeting in his daily announcement for PVHS on Thursday.

“I want to say, yesterday, I experienced in some ways the worst and best night of my life,” Kleiman said in the announcement. “Losing this job, which means everything to me, is more than outweighed by the words of kindness, support, people showing up.” 

Trustees cannot share discussions that happen during closed sessions, so the reasoning behind Kleiman’s reassignment was not clear. Still, the crowd asked the board to reconsider the reassignment of an educator who has worked at WCCUSD since 1988. 

“Kibby Kleinman is in the pantheon of greatness,” said teacher Janet Headington. “Please, we’re imploring you: Do not retraumatize our student body with one more…inexplicable loss.” 

PVHS student Emmi Ng called her principal well-loved and respected before putting it simply: “We want him here.” 

(Video by Ling Hsieh / used with permission)

Community members called the principal, who has been in his position since 2013, the heart of the school. Students and parents say he knows the names of everyone at the school of over 1,200, goes to every game and event and is the reason many have succeeded.

A day before the vote, community members created a petition to keep Kleiman as the school’s principal. 

“This potential loss would be devastating for our community and our students will be greatly impacted,” the petition reads. “We believe that retaining Mr. Kleiman as principal is crucial for maintaining the positive momentum we’ve gained over recent years.” 

The petition has since gained over 1,000 supporters. 

Students who spoke at the meeting said a walkout in support of Kleiman was in place but did not happen. 

>>>Read: Parents and Teachers Stand Up for Ellerhorst Principal

Many from the school’s community criticized the board, particularly its representative, President Jamela Smith-Folds, for going against the community’s wishes. 

“I no longer trust this board to make decisions on my behalf,” said Susyn Normington, a member of the PVHS community. “You have already lost the trust of a community.”

Reed MacLaren, a junior at PVHS who spoke in support of Kleiman,  created a petition calling for the recall of Smith-Folds. 

“This action directly went against the wishes of the people she is supposed to be representing and this action cannot be forgiven,” MacLaren writes in the petition. “If Trustee Smith-Folds isn’t recalled it will allow for her to continue to make horrible decisions regarding our community and our future.”

Some during and after the meeting were unsure if Kleiman’s reassignment had been voted on yet and thought the time to speak on the item was at the beginning of open session, which was after the vote had taken place. 

Superintendent Kenneth Hurst, at the request of Smith-Folds, gave another closed session report during public comment to clarify the vote had already taken place. 

The same speakers asking for clarification later criticized the board for being “disingenuous” and uninterested in what they had to say on the reassignment. Hurst was specifically called out by a member of the public, Annette, for having side conversations with others during public comment. 

Trustee Mister Phillips said at the end of the meeting that he understands the public has a right to public comment, but he has the right to not listen to it, referring to a comment where board members were called “buffoons.” 

In response to the decision made by the board, PVHS students part of Project Student Advocacy said on Instagram that a rally in support of Kleiman will take place on March 13 starting at 8:30 a.m.

“As the leading advocacy group at PV, we are trying to organize a support rally in disagreement of this unjust ruling,” the post reads. 

The next West Contra Costa school board meeting is March 20.