Breaking news: Recall Petition Filed for 3 Jeffco Board Majority Members

Jeffco United For Action
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 26, 2015
Contact: Lynea Hansen
(303) 579-8794

Jeffco Community Pulls Recall Petitions on Three School Board Majority Members

The School Board Majority Members Have Failed to Do What’s Best for Taxpayers & Students
Golden, CO – Today, Wendy McCord a stay-at-home mother of three Jeffco students, along with Michael Blanton a Jeffco father and attorney, and Tina Gurdikian a Jeffco mother of two students and an environmental compliance specialist submitted language to the Jefferson County Clerk’s office to recall the three Jeffco School Board Majority Members – Ken Witt, John Newkirk and Julie Williams.

“We can no longer wait! The Board Majority Members are taking away the opportunity for our Jeffco students to succeed by failing to do what we elected them to do, represent the voice of the entire community and not just those who voted for them. The Board Majority Members regularly disregard input from the community and district staff, including their solo pick for superintendent, Dan McMinimee. The Board Majority Members have gone so far as to limit public comment,and take up to a year to respond with shallow form letters to emails submitted to the Board by their constituents. In the case of facility needs to address increasing enrollment in the north, Board Majority Members have left families in a state of stressful limbo wondering where their children will attend school,” stated Tina Gurdikian.

“The language we submitted as the grounds for recall today clearly outlines why the Board Majority Members are not suited to continue in their elected roles. For over a year, the Board Majority Members have made decisions behind closed doors and violated their own rules as well as state and federal laws. All of this secrecy and lack of transparency has resulted in over 700 educators and countless families leaving Jeffco Schools – this is unacceptable,”continued Wendy McCord.

“Between the broken promises to voters, violating open meeting laws and privacy laws and wasting taxpayer money, I as a Jeffco voter felt it was time to stand up and put an end to the chaos that has overtaken our school board. The board majority members have consistently exhibited a fundamental disrespect for Jeffco parents and students, and their attitude and actions will only cause our students to fall behind their peers, locally, nationally and globally,” concluded Michael Blanton.

Below is the statement of grounds for the recalls that was submitted today.

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“Jeffco School Board President Ken Witt and the School Board Majority have failed Jeffco taxpayers, parents and students. A recall now will:

• Restore ACCOUNTABILITY: The Board Majority wasted millions of taxpayer dollars, including hiring a novice Superintendent for $280,000--$80,000 more a year than the previous nationally recognized Superintendent of 12 years — and hiding $90,000 each year in legal expenses from the public.


• Restore TRANSPARENCY: They have repeatedly violated Colorado open meeting laws by secretly making major decisions behind closed doors. They have severely limited public comment at board meetings, bullied students and parents, and released a minor student’s private information in violation of state law.


• Restore RESPECT: They attempted to censor US History classes, leading thousands of students to walk out of class in protest. Their unprofessional actions have pushed over 700 educators this past year to leave Jeffco schools, most to teach in other districts, because the educators believe the Board Majority’s policies hurt their ability to educate our students.

In the interest of our children, community and schools, we need to send the message that our
kids’ education and fiscal responsibility come before politics.

”Once the recall petition has been submitted, the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder has seven business days to approve the language. Following that, circulators have 60 days to gather 15,000 signatures for each of the three seats they are seeking to recall.

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** We will be doing a large kick-off rally once the petitions are approved and parents will be
available for interviews then.


jeffcoschoolboardwatch.org/?p=3266
jeffcounitedforaction.org/

For more history behind this, please go to our discussion here: JeffCo school board decision draws questions re:transparency

SAVE THE DATE!
Petition Kick-Off Event
Wednesday, July 8th
Doors Open: 5:30 pm
Program Starts: 6:00 pm
Location: Jefferson County Fairgrounds in the Rodeo Stands & Arena
15200 W 6th Ave, Golden, Colorado 80401

Come join us on Wednesday, July 8th, as we rally to recall the Jeffco School Board Majority!

*Come sign a petition*

*Sign up to volunteer*

*Get trained on how to carry a petition*

*Get your own petition*

Conservative Jeffco School Board members face recall
By Vic Vela, The Colorado Statesman
7/2/2015

For supporters of an effort to recall three conservative members of the Jefferson County School Board, the potential for an off-year election holds a mixed bag.

But will passionately held opposition to the conservative board translate into actual support from Democratic-leaning voters, many of whom sit out non-presidential year elections?

Lynea Hansen, a spokeswoman for Jeffco United for Action, which is behind the recall effort, said there was no alternative besides November to hold an election without the expensive cost that comes with a special election.

Hansen said the seats of two other board members — Jill Fellman and Lesley Dahlkemper — are up in November anyway. So it won't cost anything to include more names on the ballot in an election where school board seats are already being considered.

Neither Fellman or Dahlkemper are seeking re-election, so voters will be able to decide on the seats of all five board members, if the recall effort makes the ballot.

For the kids!!!

Do we want constant campaigns by using recalls more often? Almost a parliamentary system where if the voter loses faith in the elected politician, they can replace them? Or did the voters of Jefferson County know who they were voting for and should have to stand by their choices in the last election.

In this case, I think the candidates didn't deceive about what they hoped to do if elected. True, they have made mistakes and are learning on the job, but most politicians do.

The Denver Post condemns the JeffCo School Board recall effort saying it is a misuse of the recall law. It was only supposed to be used to recall very corrupt or incompetent officials and has been used very sparingly in the history of Colorado.

With or without the recall, we may have 5 conservatives on the board.

Heads would explode if there's a conservative sweep.


I would enjoy that.

Know before you go