Mountain View teacher suspended for comparing Trump to Hitler

A Mountain View High School history teacher is on paid leave after comparing Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler, in an effort to show students that the 2016 election is a reflection of the past.

Frank Navarro, a Holocaust scholar who has taught at Mountain View High School for 40 years, said the school’s principal and district superintendent asked him to leave Thursday, after a parent complained about the parallels he was drawing in his world studies class.

“This parent said that I had said Donald Trump was Hitler, but I would never say that,” Navarro told The Chronicle on Saturday. “That’s sloppy historical thinking.”

He did, however, point out the connections between Trump’s presidential campaign and Hitler’s rise to power: Both had promised to eject foreigners and make their countries “great again,” Navarro said.

“I think it makes sense,” he said. “It’s factual, it’s evidence-based.” He added: “It reminds students that history is real.”

But Principal Dave Grissom and Superintendent Jeff Harding feared that the lessons may have been inappropriate in the tempestuous aftermath of the election.

“Regardless of their political affiliation, many of our students show signs of emotional stress,” Grissom wrote in a letter to parents Friday. He said he has an obligation to maintain an “emotionally safe environment” for students while protecting teachers and staff against unsubstantiated allegations.

Grissom called the paid leave process a “time-out” for the staff member under investigation. Harding told The Chronicle that Mountain View High School administrators would finish researching facts on Navarro soon.

Frank Navarro, a teacher at Mountain View High School teaches a course about the Holocaust. Frank Navarro, a teacher at Mountain View High School teaches a course about the Holocaust. Photo: DEANNE FITZMAURICE Photo: DEANNE FITZMAURICE Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Mountain View teacher suspended for comparing Trump to Hitler 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

The school’s newspaper, the Oracle, published an article Thursday about the investigation, prompting outrage among parents and students.

“Emails started flowing in to the principal late that night,” Navarro said.

Two days later, a Mountain View High School alumnus started a Change.org petition, demanding that Grissom revoke Navarro’s leave and publicly apologize “for attempting to intimidate a respected educator.”

As of Saturday night, it had gathered almost 4,000 signatures.

Rachel Swan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: rswan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rachelswan