Tamalpais High School principal resigns - Marin Independent Journal

The principal of Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley has announced his resignation in a letter to the school community.

J.C. Farr III, who led the school for nearly seven years, did not give a reason for his departure in his note, nor in response to an inquiry from the Independent Journal.

“This is a personal leave, sorry that I do not have more to add at this time,” Farr said in an email. He did say he was not moving to another position.

“I do want you to know that I am healthy and there is no need for concern,” Farr wrote in his letter to families on Thursday. “I ask that you respect my privacy at this time.”

Liz Seabury, an administrator at the Tamalpais Union High School District, will take over as interim principal while the district searches for a longer-term successor. Superintendent Tara Taupier said the process should be finished by April so the new principal can start working in July.

Seabury is a former principal at Archie Williams High School in San Anselmo.

Administrators and board members lauded Farr’s time working for the district.

“We are grateful for Dr. Farr’s seven years of service and leadership at Tam High and wish him the best in all future endeavors,” Taupier said in a prepared statement. “We know he will have a positive impact on the lives of the youth with whom he works.”

“As a board member and parent of former students at Tam High, I am grateful for the countless contributions J.C. Farr has made for the betterment of our students and our Mill Valley community,” Leslie Harlander, a district trustee, said in an email.

Farr holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from the University of California at Berkeley, according to his LinkedIn page. He received a doctorate in education last year from Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, according to a June 7 article in the Tam News, the student newspaper.

Before coming to Tam, he worked as assistant principal at Menlo-Atherton High School. Prior to that, he held a similar position at Castro Valley High School. He also worked as a teacher and department chair in the West Contra Costa Unified School District, according to a 2016 article in the Tam News announcing his hiring.

Farr became the apparent target of racist graffiti spray painted on school buildings in July 2017, believed to be the work of a disgruntled student. The incident prompted dozens of students to rally in support of Farr and dozens more to create a chalk art installation toting “love,” “peace” and “Tam Unity” at the beginning of the next school year.

Along with four other principals, Farr led a panel in 2020 meant to deal with racism and equity in district schools.

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Tamalpais High School principal resigns - Marin Independent Journal
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