The laid-off principal of a high school in Stockton, California, was escorted from a graduation ceremony after giving a speech Thursday, ABC 10 reports.
During his graduation speech, Stagg High School Principal Ben Nakamura told his graduating students he would not be returning next year. He said Stockton Unified School District trustees had voted to remove him as the school’s principal in March.
Melinda Meza, a communications and media relations representative, told The Record that the district had received complaints from parents saying gave a long speech that aired his own grievances.
“I was kicked out for one reason that I truly love you and this community,” Nakamura said, according to The Record. “I came here to serve you, to love you, to be in the mix and the grind with you.”
Nakamura gave his speech at the first of three graduation ceremonies. He told ABC10 he was escorted away by police after his speech, stripped of his keys and asked not to return to the next two graduation ceremonies.
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District officials claim that Nakamura may have violated COVID-19 graduation guidelines. Meza told The Record that the district had received strict guidelines from the California Department of Public Health to minimize exposure. Speeches were to be pre-recorded and not given live.
Nakamura told The Record he gave the speech because he wanted a chance to say goodbye to his students.
“I owed them that farewell so that they would know that they are valuable, to not give up the fight,” he said.
Nakamura was one of the many district employees laid off due to new budget cuts, according to The Record. Students and parents protested his impending lay-off outside the district offices.
According to ABC10, Nakamura reapplied for his job after being laid-off but was denied by closed-door vote.
Nakamura is currently out of the job and his speech may hurt his future career. But, he told The Record he does not regret giving the speech.
“It is going to make it more difficult for me to find employment, it might make it that I may not secure a job this upcoming year but I was willing to do so for the betterment of students,” he said.
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