A political action committee has filed a completed recall petition with the Maricopa County School Superintendent for conservative Liberty Elementary School Board member Kristopher Kenyon.
Left-leaning PAC 4 Liberty Kids submitted the recall documents, giving the county the assumption that the PAC received 3,161 qualified voter signatures to initiate a recall election, which could remove Kenyon from office.
A recall election is a process whereby the qualified electors of a school district may force a seated governing board member to stand for election.
According to the Office of Maricopa County School Superintendent, if the petition paperwork is done in accordance with standards, the county will have 10 days to verify it. Then, it will be forwarded to the county recorder, who will have 90 days to verify signatures to ensure voters are registered.
According to state law, a recall election will be held if enough signatures are gathered. Any qualified candidate can run against the incumbent, with the candidate receiving the most votes winning.
The recall petition mentioned teacher shortages in its rationale.
"Kristopher Kenyon has consistently failed to act in the best interest of our district’s students, parents, and educators. He has disregarded the voices of key stakeholders," the recall claims. "He has damaged the collaboration necessary for effective governance. Additionally, his fiscal mismanagement, including drawing from financial reserves, threatens the long-term stability of our schools. His actions jeopardize the quality of education and essential programs that our children depend on. He has been unable to retain valuable employees, contributing to the district's unprecedented number of job openings. Our district needs leadership that prioritizes transparency, fiscal responsibility, and respect for all members of our school community."
Michael McDaniel can be reached at [email protected]. We invite our readers to submit their civil comments or opinions on this or any issue. Email [email protected].
