Community Launches Recall Against Liberty School Board President
In the aftermath of controversial decisions by the Liberty Elementary School District board in Buckeye, a coalition of parents, educators, and activists is spearheading a recall effort targeting the board’s current president.
The initiative follows the recent termination of the district’s interim superintendent, a decision that has intensified the ongoing conflict between the board and sections of the local community.
Earlier in the year, discontented community members collected signatures to oust former President Bryan Parks and Vice President Kris Kenyon, blaming them for fostering a climate that was unsupportive of educators.
The decision to cut ties with the interim superintendent has not been well-received by many in the community, further complicating relations between the board and its stakeholders.
The recall attempt succeeded with Parks, leading to his resignation. Subsequently, Maricopa County School Superintendent Shelli Boggs appointed Michael Todd as board president, despite community appeals for an alternative choice.
Todd, who has a history with the board, having resigned as president before unsuccessfully running for another position, faces criticism from some parents who question his commitment to student welfare.
Responding to the recall effort, Todd described it as an initiative by “a fringe group of disgruntled former employees and activists who are not interested in holding administrators and teachers to account for low student proficiency.”
He asserted, “Every policy and direction of this Board is to ensure the highest quality of education, accountability and safety of our students. I am committed to do everything necessary to make that happen. Recall campaigns cost me personally time and money as well as taking tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars from the district and the classroom.”
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