Jeffco Petitioners Collect 75,000 Signatures To Oust School Board Members
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) - Frustrated parents in Jefferson County say they have gathered nearly double the number of signatures needed for a petition to recall three school board members.
Residents have been working to process and count those signatures, hoping to get the recall on the November ballot.
Volunteers with Jeffco United For Action spent Sunday scanning stacks of petitions.
In just over two weeks, 1200 parents, teachers, and community members gathered more than 75,000 signatures. They want Jeffco board majority members Ken Witt, John Newkirk, and Julie Williams off of the school board.
"Teachers are leaving because they're not respected," said Wendy McCord, a parent in Jefferson County.
She is the mother of three Jeffco students, and worries about the effects of the district's rising teacher turnover.
"If we keep rising at 50% additional teachers leaving every year, by the end of these folks' term, we will have lost 75% of our teachers," said McCord.
The recall petition organizer Lynea Hansen says the board has shown a lack of transparency, accountability, and respect.
"We'd like to restore transparency. There's been a lot of decisions made behind closed doors. There's been a lot of money that's been spent without being accountable for it," Hansen said.
Sheila Atwell, executive director of Jeffco Students First, said, "That's nonsense. I think they've done actually the opposite."
She opposes a recall and says board majority improvements include funding charter schools, raising teacher pay, and boosting student performance.
"We supported the current board majority that was elected in 2013, and are really pleased with the amazing things they've done regarding student achievement," said Atwell.
Once the petitions are turned into the county clerk this week, a decision is expected by early September on whether the recall will appear on the ballot.
