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Anna Fallon recall, Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, New Jersey (2017)
| Flemington-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education recall |
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| Officeholders |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2017 Recalls in New Jersey New Jersey recall laws School board recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall Anna Fallon from her position on the Flemington-Raritan Regional School District Board of Education in New Jersey began in June 2017, but it did not reach the ballot. The recall effort started after Flemington-Raritan Superintendent Maryrose Caulfield was removed from her post. Fallon was criticized for her management of Caulfield. Fallon said she regretted the feelings of those seeking to recall her.[1] Recall supporters did not submit signatures by the deadline on August 29, 2017.[2]
Fallon was one of nine members on the Flemington-Raritan Board of Education. She served as board president and represented Raritan Township. Her term was scheduled to expire in 2018.[3]
Recall supporters
The recall was started when Rachael Ladd, Marianne Gallo, and Mitchelle Drulis, residents of Raritan Township, filed a notice of intent to recall with the Hunterdon County Clerk.[1] The effort was started after former Superintendent Maryrose Caulfield was removed from her post. Caulfield was accused of targeting teachers and administrators and enacting changes without input from parents or teachers, according NJ Advance Media. Recall supporters criticized Fallon for her management of Caulfield.[4]
"Unfortunately, the stakeholders' trust in Ms. Fallon has been irrevocably broken over the past two years," recall supporters said in a statement. "It's time to move forward and the community cannot heal while she is still on the board. If Ms. Fallon is truly committed to the district, and to making decisions in the best interest of our school community, she would step down from the board altogether."[4]
Recall opponents
Fallon said she regretted the feelings of those seeking to recall her. In an email to TAP into Flemington/Raritan, she said, "[P]lease be assured of my commitment to the children of our district and know that my efforts are focused on making decisions with their best interests in mind."[1]
Background
Board members ask Fallon to step down as president
The Flemington-Raritan Board of Education announced at a board meeting on June 26, 2017, that five of its nine members had signed a petition asking Fallon to step down as board president. Members did not reveal who had signed the petition, but Chris Walker, Sandra Borucki, and Tim Bart said at the meeting that they wanted Fallon to step down as president.[4]
Walker first asked the board for a change in leadership after former Superintendent Maryrose Caulfield announced her retirement in early June 2017. Caulfield was later removed from her post. Stephanie Voorhees served as interim superintendent until July 3, 2017, when Johanna Ruberto took over the role.[4]
Walker said the board should have new leadership in place for Ruberto's transition, and Bart said the district needed a fresh start. Borucki said, "We have a lot of respect for Miss Fallon, but the time has come for a change and fresh start."[4]
Fallon said she had not been notified of the petition asking for her to step down as president prior to the board meeting. She was not present during the discussion of the petition at the meeting due to a work issue, according to NJ Advance Media.[4]
"It's unfortunate that they chose to make this announcement publicly, without the courtesy of a private conversation," said Fallon. "I remain committed to the district, and to making decisions in the best interest of our school community."[4]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in New Jersey
Hunterdon County Clerk Mary Melfi approved the notice of intent to recall Fallon in June 2017. Recall supporters had until August 29, 2017, to submit 4,341 signatures from registered voters in Raritan Township. They did not submit signatures by the deadline. If signatures had been submitted by the deadline and enough had been verified, the recall election would have been placed on the ballot on November 7, 2017.[1][2][4]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Anna Fallon' 'Flemington-Raritan Regional School District' recall. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, New Jersey
- Recall campaigns in New Jersey
- Political recall efforts, 2017
- School board recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 TAP into Flemington/Raritan, "Critics Seek Removal of Flemington-Raritan School Board President," June 13, 2017
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Mary H. Melfi," August 30, 2017
- ↑ Flemington-Raritan Regional School District, "Board of Education Members," accessed June 19, 2017
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 NJ Advance Media, "Flemington-Raritan BOE members want president to step down," June 27, 2017
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