BATTLE INTENSIFIES OVER TRANSFER OF ATHERWOOD SCHOOL PRINCIPAL.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

In what they say is ``their fight now,'' a swarm of angry parents picketed outside school district headquarters Tuesday in Round 2 of their battle to stop the transfer of Atherwood Elementary School's principal next year.

Last week, the same group of parents collected roughly 200 petition signatures, in their first attempt to convince school officials that transferring Principal Beverly Radloff would be a bad move.

``It's a good school because she's there,'' said Belinda Geiger, whose two children attend Atherwood. ``If she leaves, the whole atmosphere will change. It will just be a sterile environment, and it won't be an exciting learning experience for the kids any more.''

Radloff announced early last week that she had been reassigned to Katherine Elementary School, a move district officials say is not unusual for principals who have worked at one school for several years.

Parents, however, believe that the transfer was based on accusations made by Hillary Levy, who said one of her daughters had been sexually harassed by a fellow student at Atherwood in October.

Levy filed a formal complaint with the district six months ago alleging sexual harassment. A district investigation concluded that the incident did not constitute sexual harassment.

Levy said she never requested that Radloff be transferred, but rather that the district enforce its policy on sexual harassment.

``It really doesn't matter to me at all where Mrs. Radloff goes,'' Levy said. ``My children are not going to be attending Atherwood next year. I hope they leave Mrs. Radloff there so everyone leaves me alone.''

Levy said that after Radloff announced she would be leaving the school, that parents have been confronting her when she takes another daughter to and from the school.

Levy said that her second daughter is being affected by how the other parents treat her mother.

``She sees the parents swearing at me, and giving me the finger,'' Levy said. ``It's scary for her. The school is not protecting us.''

Jody Johnston, who organized Tuesday's protest, said parents are ``extremely frustrated'' over the ``untimely'' transfer because it makes it appear as though Radloff mishandled Levy's situation.

Johnston added that because Radloff cannot discuss specifics about the Levy incident because of district confidentiality policy, Radloff has been without a voice while Levy has been telling her story in newspapers and on television.

``Our principal can't say anything, so we're going to be her voice,'' Johnston said. ``We're tired of her name being dragged through the mud.''

Karen Dubrule, director of elementary school education for the Simi Valley Unified School District, said Radloff's transfer has nothing to do with the Levy incident. Radloff is one of five principals who have been reassigned to other elementary schools next year, Dubrule said.

Superintendent Mary Beth Wolford said the district is happy with the way Radloff has handled many situations at Atherwood. Wolford added that the reassignment is a ``compliment to her leadership.''

``Mrs. Radloff has great skills and strengths in leading her school,'' Wolford said. ``We wouldn't consider transferring her to lead another school if it were otherwise.''

Parents said Tuesday that Levy had turned the alleged sexual harassment incident into a ``monster.''

``She's gone so public on what was just a small misunderstanding,'' said Don Burham, who pulled his two sons out of school Tuesday so they could participate in the protest. ``I just don't feel Mrs. Radloff is getting a fair shake.''

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2 Photos

Photo: (1--color in SIMI) Atherwood Elementary School pu pils and parents protest the transfer of their principal, Beverly Radloff.

(2) Richard Hefner, who has two kids at Atherwood, joins in the protest.

Phil McCarten/Daily News