PUPILS BACK SUED PRINCIPAL VALENCIA STUDENTS: PRIESZ DOESN'T FOSTER RACISM.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

VALENCIA - African-American students distributed stickers and plastered hand-made posters around Valencia High School on Friday in support of their principal, the target of a lawsuit alleging that school officials have not done enough to stop racist behavior by white students.

Banners inscribed ``We love Dr. Priesz'' went up in the quad area of the school, not far from where racist inscriptions were allegedly scrawled on a post in April.

``Dr. Priesz is not racist,'' junior Keilah Kelso, 16, said. ``This lawsuit is pointless and a complete waste of time. All the black people here say there is no racism, except for two or three people.''

The lawsuit alleges that Principal Paul Priesz, along with other Hart district officials, allowed an atmosphere of racism to exist at Valencia High and were unresponsive to students' and parents' requests for a stop to offensive behavior.

It was filed on behalf of current and former Valencia High students Yetunde Alabi, Brandon Carrera, Jatoria Harrisson and Bryant Nichols.

``It's stupid. There is a little bit of racism everywhere, but it's nothing like they are saying. This school is a nice environment,'' said student Ticharra Burnley. ``You can see it from the stickers and fliers all over the school. Dr. Priesz is one of the best principals.''

Of the students' show of support, Priesz said: ``It made me feel pretty good.''

Senior Brittany Gilmore, 18, said Priesz has gone out of his way to accommodate Alabi's requests for a black student union or black history events in addition to the regular curriculum.

``We have assemblies, we have a hip-hop team, there are a lot of black cultural activities on campus. I have never experienced racism and I've been here for three years,'' Gilmore said.

``I went to school in Los Angeles and didn't even know we had a principal,'' she continued. ``Dr. Priesz is walking around campus all the time. He visits every table and talks to the groups of kids hanging out and interacts with them. I feel really shocked.''

Her sister, Ashley, a sophomore at Valencia, said she feels very comfortable on campus.

``I have so many friends of different races; everybody here is so friendly,'' she said. ``You can't blame Dr. Priesz for students who are racist; these things happen outside of school and you can't blame him. He gives the right amount of punishment when he catches somebody and he doesn't let things slide. He takes racism very seriously, so it makes me sad to see this happen to him.''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Valencia High School Principal Paul Priesz hangs out with some of his students, from left, Ticharra Burnley, Ashley Gilmore, Keilah Kelso and Abriel Epps, during a campus break.

(2 -- 3) Valencia High School students put up banners, above, and handed out stickers, below, in support of the school and its principal on Friday, days after a lawsuit was filed alleging racism on campus.

David Crane/Staff Photographer