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Marshall Public Schools recall, Michigan (2022)
| Marshall Public Schools recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Shawna Gamble Richard Lindsey |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2022 Recalls in Michigan Michigan recall laws School board recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall three of the seven members of the Marshall Public Schools Board of Education in Michigan did not go to a vote in 2022. Lindsey resigned from the board effective August 15, 2022, and recall supporters did not submit recall petitions against Davis and Gamble by the filing deadline on September 12, 2022.[1][2][3][4]
Recall supporters
The recall petitions were filed by former Mayor Dave Atchinson. All three petitions said that the board members disregarded voters' wishes when they voted to establish a strategic action plan for Harrington Elementary School after a school bond was rejected on the November 2021 ballot.[5]
The recall petition against Lindsey said he violated school board policy as well as the Michigan Code of Education Ethics when he acted as an attorney for Albion College while presiding over school board discussions related to the college. It also said that he violated the Michigan Open Meetings Act by holding a closed session school board meeting on October 11, 2021, without disclosing the reason for the closed session and by falsifying official meeting minutes.[5]
The petitions against both Davis and Gamble said they violated the Michigan Code of Education Ethics by "failing to confront and take reasonable steps to resolve ethical conflicts involving Board President Lindsey." The petitions also said that the board members violated the Michigan Open Meetings Act by participating in the closed session in October and by voting to approve inaccurate meeting minutes from the session.[5]
The petition against Davis also said he was disrespectful at a school board meeting on September 27, 2021, when he said voting against the school bond was the "height of shooting yourself in the foot."[5]
Recall opponents
In previous school board meetings, Lindsey addressed his work for Albion College and said he did not believe there was a conflict of interest.[5]
"Every one of these issues has been addressed by legal counsel or vetted through our counsel for the school district," Lindsey said in response to the recall effort. "In order for there to be a recall, it has to be based on fact, and these are based on Mr. Atchison's opinions."[5]
Lindsey also said, "I think it's a difficult time for all the school board members because there's a lot that's happening in the community [...] I'm excited about what will happen going forward, but it's been a difficult couple of year with COVID and trying to have good conversations with people who you can't see face to face."[5]
In response to the recall effort, Davis said, "The recaller, Mr. Atchison, instead of simply agreeing to disagree on points of view, has taken up a pitchfork and mob mentality to problem-solving [...] To Mr. Atchison, a difference of opinion must result in an expensive and time-consuming recall election that distracts from the important work of the school district."[3]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Michigan
Recall supporters submitted petition language to the Calhoun County Clerk on January 10, 2022.[6] The recall petitions against Davis and Gamble were approved for circulation at a clarity hearing on January 24, 2022. At the same hearing, the Calhoun County Election Commission rejected the petition against Lindsey.[7] The election commission approved a new petition against Lindsey on February 14, 2022.[8] Lindsey appealed the approval of recall language against him in April and withdrew the appeal the same month.[9]
Both Davis and Gamble filed appeals against the decision to approve the petitions against them. The appeals were heard in the 37th Circuit Court on March 8, 2022.[8] The court ruled against the appeals on March 14, 2022, allowing the recall petitions to be circulated.[10]
To get the recalls on the ballot, supporters had to collect signatures equal in number to 25% of voters in the office's jurisdiction in the last gubernatorial election. The signatures had to be collected within 60 days of each other. The number of signatures required was 2,457 per board member.[5][7][11]
2022 recall efforts
- See also: School board recalls
Ballotpedia tracked 54 school board recall efforts against 123 board members in 2022. Recall elections against school board members were held on January 11, 2022, January 18, 2022, January 24, 2022, February 15, 2022, March 29, 2022, April 4, 2022, and November 8, 2022. The school board recall success rate was 7.3%.
The chart below details the status of 2022 recall efforts by individual school board member.
See also
- Marshall Public Schools, Michigan
- Recall campaigns in Michigan
- Political recall efforts, 2022
- School board recalls
- States that allow school board recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ WKZO, "Recall petition language against three Marshall School Board members to be reviewed January 24," January 13, 2022
- ↑ Marshall Public Schools, "Board Members," accessed January 19, 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Battle Creek Inquirer, "Marshall school board president resigns; deadline approaches for recall signatures against Davis, Gamble," August 10, 2022
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Kimberly A. Hinkley, Calhoun County Clerk & Register of Deeds," September 16, 2022
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 Battle Creek Enquirer, "Marshall Public School Board members could face recall after petition filed," January 14, 2022
- ↑ Calhoun County Clerk, "Public Notice for the January 24, 2022 Clarity/Factual Review Recall Hearing," January 12, 2022
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Battle Creek Enquirer, "Election Commission approves Marshall Public Schools recall language for Davis and Gamble, rejects for Lindsey," January 25, 2022
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Battle Creek Enquirer, "Marshall's Davis, Gamble appeal decision to OK recall language; Lindsey to follow suit," February 23, 2022
- ↑ Battle Creek Enquirer, "Marshall Public Schools recall process moves forward as Lindsey withdraws appeal," April 20, 2022
- ↑ Battle Creek Enquirer, "Marshall school board recall moves ahead: Judge denies petition challenges," March 16, 2022
- ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Recall of Local Officials," accessed July 27, 2021
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