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Pueblo City Schools recall, Colorado (2018)
| Pueblo City Schools recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Frank Latino Robert "Bobby" Gonzales |
| Recall status |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2018 Recalls in Colorado Colorado recall laws School board recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall three of the five members of the Pueblo City Schools Board of Education in Colorado did not go to a vote in 2018. Recall supporters were unable to collect the required number of signatures to put the recall on the ballot.[1]
The group Pueblo Students for Teachers targeted board President Barbara Clementi, board Vice President Frank Latino, and board member Robert "Bobby" Gonzales for recall in May 2018. The group said they were seeking recall due to the members' hidden agendas, lack of transparency, poor fiscal management, tendency to micro-manage, and decision to not accept a fact-finder's recommendation on teacher compensation. Clementi, Latino, and Gonzales objected to the majority of reasons listed for their recall, though they all said they stood by their decision to not accept the fact-finder's recommendations on teacher compensation. They said that decision was not against teachers but for financial stability.[2][3][4]
Clementi, Latino, and Gonzales all retired as educators.[4] They were elected to the board in the same at-large election on November 3, 2015. They defeated five other candidates for the seats, including Mike Colucci, who was an incumbent at the time.[5]
Recall supporters
The recall effort was organized by the group Pueblo Students for Teachers.[2] On its Facebook page, the group describes itself as "students that believe our teachers are our most valuable asset. They inspire us and the new generations and they deserve a livable wage."[6]
The group said it was targeting the three board members due to their hidden agendas, lack of transparency, poor fiscal management, tendency to micro-manage, and decision to not accept a fact-finder's recommendation on teacher compensation. That board decision led to a week-long teachers strike.[4] "We have to push forward on this so that we can make our school board better by holding our school board members accountable," Max Markuson DiPrince, a leader of the effort, said.[2]
Markuson DiPrince said the student group supported teachers during their strike, but he added that the group was continuing its own fight with the recall effort. "We were like 'hey, you know, we are new voters, we are youth we gotta be engaged in this kind of stuff," Markuson DiPrince said.[2]
"We're trying to engage as many people as possible so that they can also come together in Pueblo and formulate solutions," Markuson DiPrince said. "We'll come together, find solutions and make our community the best not only for us but for future generations to come."[2]
Recall opponents
Clementi, Latino, and Gonzales objected to the majority of reasons Pueblo Students for Teachers gave for seeking their recall, though they all said they stood by their decision to not accept the fact-finder's recommendations on teacher compensation. All three board members said that decision was not against teachers but for financial stability. "Paying for recurring expenses using our reserves is not prudent nor fiscally responsible. The big picture is sustainability in a district with declining enrollment," Latino said.[4]
Clementi said the other allegations were "fairly damning connotations but are really pretty ambiguous. I mean, what does 'lack of transparency' mean?" She also said that the board is constrained by law in what it can discuss in relation to personnel or evaluations. "As for micro-managing and hidden agendas, I'd really be interested to know what they mean by that," Clementi said. "A school board has four things it can do by law: set policy, hire a superintendent to implement it, adopt a budget and make sure there's a flag pole at the ad building. That's it."[4]
In response to the recall effort, Gonzales said, "I think the students are misinformed. But I respect the fact that they are involved. I don't take offense to the recall. That's their right. But if you're going to respond to something, at least get the facts."[4]
Clementi said she had a mixed response in reaction to the recall effort.[4]
| “ | Certainly dismay in that I ran for this position to do everything I can to help and to make things better.
On the other hand, I'm always thrilled to see kids in the community get involved. For as long as I can remember, we've asked our kids and community members to get involved in school matters.[7] |
” |
| —Barbara Clementi (2018)[4] | ||
Latino, whose 35-year tenure in the district included serving as a high school principal, said he "always appreciated student involvement in a positive way."[4]
| “ | I continue to admire student voices, as long as it's in a constructive way and not in a destructive manner.
But I see a recall as being disruptive and believe the students can become involved in a more constructive way, like helping to improve school safety.[7] |
” |
| —Frank Latino (2018)[4] | ||
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Colorado
To get the recall on the ballot, recall supporters had to submit approximately 8,000 petition signatures for each board member. The number of signatures was equal to 40 percent of the votes cast in the last election in which the board members were elected.[2][8] Recall supporters were unable to collect enough signatures to get the recall on the ballot.[1]
About the district
- See also: Pueblo City Schools, Colorado
The Pueblo City school district is located in Pueblo County in south-central Colorado. The county seat is Pueblo. Pueblo County was home to an estimated 166,475 residents in 2017, according to the United States Census Bureau.[9] The district was the 15th-largest school district in the state in the 2014-2015 school year and served 17,979 students.[10]
Demographics
Pueblo County underperformed compared to Colorado as a whole in terms of higher education achievement between 2012 and 2016. The United States Census Bureau found that 21.2 percent of county residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 38.7 percent of state residents. During the same time period, the median household income in Pueblo County was $42,000, compared to $62,520 statewide. The county poverty rate was 19.9 percent, and the state poverty rate was 11 percent.[9]
| Racial demographics, 2016[9] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Pueblo County (%) | Colorado (%) |
| White | 90.5 | 87.5 |
| Black or African American | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 3.1 | 1.6 |
| Asian | 1.0 | 3.3 |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Two or More Races | 2.7 | 3.0 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 42.8 | 21.3 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
2018 recall efforts
- See also: School board recalls
A total of 33 school board recall efforts nationwide were covered by Ballotpedia in 2018. They included 74 board members. Twelve recall elections were held in 2018. The school board recall success rate was 28.4%.
Of the 12 efforts that made it to the ballot in 2018, eight were approved and the 20 targeted members were removed from office. Another two recall elections were defeated, and the targeted members kept their seats. One effort saw a mix of results: three members retained their seats, while the fourth was removed from his. Another recall election was held after the board member resigned. Her replacement was elected through the recall. The chart below details the status of 2018 recall efforts by individual school board member.
See also
- Pueblo City Schools, Colorado
- Pueblo City Schools elections (2017)
- Pueblo City Schools elections (2015)
- Pueblo City Schools elections (2013)
- Recall campaigns in Colorado
- Political recall efforts, 2018
- School board recalls
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Pueblo City Schools
- Pueblo County Clerk and Recorder
- Pueblo Students for Teachers Facebook page
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Pueblo Chieftain, "Pueblo D60 school board member recall drive ends," July 17, 2018
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 KOAA News 5, "Student coalition drafts petition to recall three D60 school board members," May 20, 2018
- ↑ Pueblo City Schools, "Board of Education," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 The Pueblo Chieftain, "D60 board members: Students leading recall effort should better use energies," May 21, 2018
- ↑ Pueblo County, "Official Election Results," accessed December 22, 2015
- ↑ Facebook, "Pueblo Students for Teachers About page," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ The Pueblo Chieftain, "Pueblo City Schools board recall petitions on way to clerk," July 13, 2018
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 United States Census Bureau, "QuickFacts: Pueblo County, Colorado; Colorado," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, "Common Core of Data, file ccd_lea_052_1414_w_0216161a, 2014-2015," accessed November 16, 2016
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