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Camas Ridge Community School parents who have children of color were upset to learn that principal Hobie Blackhorn might be replaced at the end of the year. They are concerned about their children losing representation.
Eugene School District 4J’s proposal to move the Family School into the same building as Camas Ridge Community School came as a surprise to Camas Ridge parents Jan. 8.
But the email that followed, announcing that the reorganization would likely lead to the removal of their principal, Hobie Blackhorn, caused more emotions to flare.
Mayra Anaya, whose daughter attends first grade at Camas Ridge, stood outside the school in protest of the proposal on the morning of Feb. 3 with five other parents. If Blackhorn leaves, Anaya said her daughter, whom she described as BIPOC, would lose representation and a principal who knows his students by name.
Blackhorn identifies as Native American and is one of 10 principals of the 31 in 4J who are people of color. According to 2024-25 demographic data, 35% of 4J students identified as nonwhite.
“Our whole culture is that of respect, regardless of appearance and background,” Anaya said. “He instilled that in all of them, and it really perpetuated through our school community.”
Superintendent Miriam Mickelson wrote in a Feb. 3 email to parents that if the school board votes to move Family School from its current location on Crest Drive to the Camas Ridge site, she will choose a new principal to lead both schools at the site — instead choosing between Blackhorn and Family School principal Teresa Martindale.
“That allows, or that helps, ensure that neither school’s existing culture or practice or priorities are seen as being favored, and it helps build trust and a sense of fairness from the outset,” Mickelson said in the Jan. 21 school board meeting.
She acknowledged the anguish that new leadership would cause for the families of both schools and said both schools have “very dedicated leaders.” Mickelson said in her Feb. 3 email that she will choose the new principal with the values from both schools in mind.
Blackhorn recently requested and was granted a leave by the district, effective Jan. 30, Mickelson said in the Feb. 3 email to parents. He is still an employee of the district. Mike Riplinger, a retired former Camas Ridge principal, “will fill in as long as necessary,” said Kelly McIver, 4J communications director. Lookout’s attempts to contact Blackhorn were unsuccessful.
Anaya and other parents at Camas Ridge who spoke at the Jan. 21 board meeting said the news of Blackhorn’s probable exit from the school has caused whiplash and fostered distrust of the district. Anaya said the district’s invitations to be a part of the conversation seem disingenuous when decisions seem to already have been made.
“We want transparency, we want representation,” Anaya said, adding that the district “continues to push this ‘every kid, every student matters,’ right? So we want them to show us that.”
Anaya got emotional when asked whether her daughter had experienced racism at school, crediting Blackhorn for her daughter’s positive experience so far.
“I’m really grateful that my daughter hasn’t had to experience those things yet,” she said. “I’m afraid for what’s going to happen. My partner and I have talked about the possibility of moving to a charter school. Our daughter doesn’t have to go to 4J.”
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