Principal's Assault Being Investigated As Hate Crime

LOS ANGELES - A white principal beaten outside his predominantly Hispanic elementary school reportedly sought outside help to ease growing tensions twice before he was attacked last week.

Monday's assault on Norman Bernstein, 65, principal of Burton Elementary in the Panorama City section of the city, is being investigated as a hate crime.

Bernstein was ambushed as he stepped from his car by two men who held a sharp object to his throat and punched him in the head, said police Detective David Escoto.

Bernstein described the men as Hispanics. One attacker told him, "We don't want you here, white principal," Escoto said.

He was treated and released from a local hospital.

The Los Angeles Times reported that Bernstein had asked the Anti-Defamation League last month for help in dealing with what he saw as growing anti-white sentiment at the 750-pupil school.

He wanted "advice regarding what was potentially a discriminatory situation he felt he was experiencing," said Sue Stengel, a lawyer for the group. The ADL sent him complaint forms, but they were not returned.

Bernstein also called on Los Angeles Unified School District administrators for help, said Eli Brent, president of the principals union.

Instead, Bernstein was told he might be dismissed or demoted because his administration might be responsible for the unrest, Brent told the Times.

The attack occurred as the nation's second-largest school district struggles with teaching 681,000 students from widely different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The school where the attack took place is 90 percent Hispanic.

Those factors can sometimes lead to racial tensions and misunderstandings, school officials said, but racially motivated violence against principals and teachers is rare.

Teachers said some parents are upset that Bernstein is not Hispanic and does not speak Spanish.

Other observers said the attack was simply a matter of disaffected individuals using the white-Hispanic issue to spread hatred.