LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Parents of students at Desert Oasis High School are speaking out after it was announced Thursday that principal Jennifer Boeddeker was to be replaced.
8 News Now reached out to Boeddeker and asked if she would like to speak about what happened, but she declined to comment.
However, parents at Desert Oasis were very vocal, making their beliefs that the principal was dealing with more than she was able to handle clear.
Desert Oasis parents were alerted by email of a leadership change on campus. In the email, it did not mention Boeddeker’s name, but did say that her role would change hands to that of Mr. Ian Salzman as interim principal until a permanent replacement is found.
Mr. Salzman has served as principal and assistant principal within the school district for over 15 years.
It’s still unclear if Principal Boeddeker was asked to step down, was removed, or decided to leave on her own, but with recent troubling incidents at the school, the general consensus from students and parents is that more change needs to be made.
“I just wish we would have had a little bit more notice than one day, like maybe a meeting or vote,” said parent Mackenzie Parker.
“It’s a lot to put on a principal. I think it’s a two way street regardless of how you look at it. The principal is the one that is on-site, and is the face you see and the face you deal with, but then it’s moderation as far as the district and how they handle things in the background,” said parent Che Hecker. “A lot is in their control, but a lot of it is out of their control.”
Desert Oasis was placed on two consecutive lockdowns in March, one regarding reports of a weapon bring brought to school and one regarding reports of fights on campus, one of which involved an adult.
Parents and teachers have voiced their concerns at school board meetings about safety.
While Desert Oasis has had several incidents reported, the entirety of the school district has seen an influx of violent behavior, with over 5,300 incidents reported this school year alone.
8 News Now reached out to the teacher’s union for a statement, but they have not yet responded.