Kenosha school board member told to vacate seat 2 years earlier than expected after clerical error

 

KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Things are heating up for Kenosha Unified schools after a school board member was told he'd need to vacate his seat two years earlier than what the 2022 election called for. 

Now, Eric Meadows is moving forward with legal action, saying it was a clerical error, not his. 

Eric Meadows, through his attorney, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the school board and superintendent Tuesday, asking that they do the right thing and leave his seat alone. 

On a cold and rainy night, concerned KUSD parents stood in front of Kenosha's school district offices to give back to Eric Meadows, who they say has given much to them. 

"And that’s why I'm fighting for him, because I feel like he's speaking for me," said Lamar Madison, KUSD parent. 

Meadows is announcing he's retained an attorney to fight the board's decision to force him out of office. 

"We are demanding within one week that they stop their proceedings, reverse course and allow me to serve my term. Within a week, if they don't comply with our demands, we will be filing a lawsuit," said Meadows. 

The problem started last month when the Wisconsin Elections Commission found a clerical error, showing the seat Meadows won was only a one-year term, not the three years that Meadows and voters believed it to be.

"So we voted Eric in. Our vote matters, and Eric Meadows is who we want to represent us, so that's why we're here," said KUSD parent Dawn Santoro. 

KUSD told us in a statement the decision to end Meadows' term this coming April was made with legal counsel. They plan to appoint someone to fill it until the next election. 

Meadows says he's submitted his name for consideration but hopes the board will choose to not move forward with an appointment. 

"I don't believe Eric should be appointed at all, because again, they don't have no power to get rid of him," said parent Brian Gonzales. 

"And I think the entire state of Wisconsin has to pay attention to this. If they find a way to make this happen, nobody elected moving forward is ever going to feel comfortable or safe in their elected position," said Meadows supporter Matt Allan.

A special board meeting to discuss future action and the possibility of appointing someone to fill Meadows' seat is now scheduled for Feb. 20.