A group of community members voted unanimously to withdraw
Trustee John Ferreira from their effort to recall four members of
the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District Board.
A group of community members voted unanimously to withdraw Trustee John Ferreira from their effort to recall four members of the Aromas-San Juan Unified School District Board.
About 30 community members met Monday night to discuss whether Ferreira should be included in the recall campaign. Proponents of the recall said Ferreira voted to accept Aromas School Principal Mary-Ann Tucker’s letter of resignation at the Board’s April 2 meeting while opponents argued that he originally voted against not renewing her contract at the Board’s March 5 meeting. They also feel the board member has taken community comments and concerns to heart.
“I am very pleased John will be excluded,” said Barbara Brown, Aromas School teacher and teachers union representative. “He’s very reasonable and I think that he listens to both sides and then makes a decision.”
The group said they felt Ferreira was the only trustee of the four considered for recall who listened to letters and public comment, Brown said.
Rumors of Tucker’s dismissal have been floating around for over a year, Brown said, prompting many parents, teachers and community members to send letters to the Board in support of Tucker. When Ferreira and Trustee Jeff Hancock came to a community meeting the day after the March 5 vote, people asked Ferreira if he listened to the letters and comments.
“They asked him if it made a difference and he said it did for him,” Brown said.
The recall has been tentatively set for Nov. 4. Because there are no other elections scheduled for that date, the district will have to hold a special election, which will cost money.
The ASJUSD is in San Benito, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties, all of which will have to hold an election. San Benito County alone will charge the district about $60,000 to hold the special election, according to Kim Hawk of the County Clerk’s office. Also, the group will have to gather 1,114 signatures, or 25 percent of registered voters in the district – not the previously mentioned 750, Hawk said. To recall a school board member, only a majority is needed – the same as in electing one to office, she said.
The decision to exclude Ferreira was made at a community meeting where parents, teachers and community members are organizing the recall movement. At the Monday meeting, participants also developed committees and looked at finding candidates to fill the three positions, said parent Julie Conrad.
While the group is swiftly moving forward with the recall effort, some people have been questioning the rude behavior that took place at the Board’s April 2 meeting, especially since children were present. The cited behavior included yelling, chanting and pasting stickers on the exterior walls of the Anzar High School library, where the meeting was held.
Conrad said the issue was so emotional that people weren’t thinking about their actions.
“People were so upset. They felt that they had taken all the appropriate steps to be heard – letters, attending meetings, speaking at public comment,” she said. “The next reaction is frustration and anger. We tried all the nice ways of talking to them. It was not appropriate, but I think it’s part of human nature.”
Conrad said she hopes dialogue between the community group and the Board will be open and respectful from now on. She said the group plans to make a presentation at all Board meetings to let trustees know where the recall effort stands. The community members don’t want to seem like they’re scheming and sneaking around, Conrad said.
The group will hold another community meeting after spring break next week and before the next Board meeting May 7.
