Salem-Keizer Public Schools recall, Oregon (2022)
| Salem-Keizer Public Schools recall |
|---|
 |
| Officeholders |
Ashley Carson-Cottingham (Zone 3) Karina Guzman Ortiz (Zone 5) |
| Recall status |
| Signature requirement |
| See also |
| Recall overview Political recall efforts, 2022 Recalls in Oregon Oregon recall laws School board recalls Recall reports |
An effort to recall three of the seven members of the Salem-Keizer Public Schools school board in Oregon did not go to a vote in 2022. Supporters did not collect enough signatures to put the recall on the ballot.[1]
The recall effort began in August 2022. Zone 1 representative Osvaldo Avila, Zone 3 representative Ashley Carson-Cottingham, and Zone 5 representative Karina Guzman Ortiz were named in the recall petitions. To get the recalls on the ballot, supporters would have had to collect 16,283 signatures per board member by November 23, 2022.[2][3]
The effort began after the school board voted 4-3 on August 9, 2022, to approve a resolution prohibiting concealed guns on school property. Zone 7 representative Maria Hinojos Pressey voted with the three members included in the recall effort to approve the resolution. Recall supporters said they did not include Hinojos Pressey in the recall effort because they found her to be more responsive to constituents and more willing to question district leaders.[2][4]
The three board members were first elected to the board on May 18, 2021. Avila won the open Zone 1 seat with 45% of the vote against three opponents. Carson-Cottingham won the open Zone 3 seat with 50% of the vote against one opponent, and Guzman Ortiz won the Zone 5 seat with 47% of the vote against two opponents, including incumbent Jesse Lippold Peone.
Recall supporters
The recall petitions were filed by Casity Troutt. In addition to the resolution prohibiting concealed guns on school property, Troutt included the board members' support for keeping books about gender and sexuality in school libraries, their support of removing student resource officers from schools, and their handling of public comment periods during school board meetings as reasons for the recall effort. The petitions also said the board members did not prioritize academics for students.[2][5]
"We’ve got to do something about this school board who is pushing these radicalized agendas and allowing this behavior," Troutt said on August 29, 2022, on the "Newsmakers" radio show.[2]
Recall opponents
In response to the recall effort, Avila said, "The schools in our district have made tremendous strides recovering from the crises of the last few years, but (there) is a lot more work to be done. As a father of kids in Salem-Keizer school and a board member, working on behalf of our students and teachers is the only thing I am thinking about."[2]
Carson-Cottingham said, "As Chair of our school board and the mom of two kids in Salem-Keizer schools, my only focus is making sure we have a successful school year. Distractions right now are not going to help get students prepared."[2]
Guzman Ortiz said, "I am excited for the new school year ahead for thousands of children and youth, including my own. I am focused on my duty and commitment to serve and support all students. I simply don’t have time for politics."[2]
Path to the ballot
- See also: Laws governing recall in Oregon
The recall petitions were filed with the Marion County Clerk on August 25, 2022, and the county approved them for circulation on August 26, 2022. To get the recalls on the ballot, supporters would have had to collect 16,283 signatures per board member by November 23, 2022.[2]
About the district
Salem-Keizer Public Schools is located in Marion and Polk counties, which lie in northwestern Oregon. It is classified as a mid-sized city school district by the National Center for Education Statistics. The district served 41,655 students during the 2018-2019 school year and comprised 65 schools.[6]
During the 2018-2019 school year, 61.2% of the district's students were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 17.3% were English language learners, and 17.7% of students had an Individual Education Plan (IEP).[7]
| Racial Demographics, 2018-2019 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Race | Salem-Keizer Public Schools (%) | Oregon K-12 students (%) |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 2.1 | 4.0 |
| Black | 1.4 | 2.3 |
| Hispanic | 40.5 | 23.4 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 2.5 | 0.7 |
| Two or More Races | 5.3 | 6.4 |
| White | 47.4 | 61.8 |
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.
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
- Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Oregon
- Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Oregon, elections (2021)
- Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Oregon, elections (2019)
- Salem-Keizer Public Schools elections (2017)
- Salem-Keizer Public Schools elections (2015)
- Recall campaigns in Oregon
- Political recall efforts, 2022
- School board recalls
- States that allow school board recalls
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Salem Reporter, "Salem-Keizer School Board recall falls short of signature goal," November 23, 2022
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Salem Reporter, "3 on school board targeted for recall following concealed carry ban, efforts to remove books," September 1, 2022
- ↑ Salem-Keizer Public Schools, "School Board Directors," accessed September 7, 2022
- ↑ Salem Reporter, "Divided school board bans concealed carry in Salem-Keizer," August 10, 2022
- ↑ Facebook, "Salem-Keizer Education First post on September 1, 2022," accessed September 7, 2022
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Search for Public School Districts," accessed March 8, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," accessed March 8, 2021
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