Recall election triggered for Raymond school board as community addresses concerns with education, transparency
RAYMOND, Wis. (CBS 58) -- On Tuesday night, Oct. 24, dozens of community members in the village of Raymond initiated the recall process for two school board members that voted to remove Principal Jeff Peterson from his post in September.
The recall petition is for board members Gwen Keller and Janell Wise.
The bipartisan group of voters allege Peterson was removed because the board is inserting a political agenda into its decision-making process.
When the board left the room for a closed session, the dozens of community members stayed for a passionate, self-moderated conversation about local control, transparency, and their children.
It came after they delivered a petition that triggers a complicated recall process. But the advocates in Raymond insist they'll see it through.
Jennifer Hansen said, "We feel like they're trying to silence us. So we're wearing black because they're kind of taking the color out of the school. Figuratively."
A group of several dozen community members demonstrated vocally before Tuesday night's meeting, and they continued silently during the meeting.
No public comment was allowed during the special meeting, and the board soon went into closed session.
But then, for nearly two hours, the community members held an ad hoc meeting about the state of education in Raymond.
One woman said, "I'm hoping that we can bond together and keep politics out of our school."
Another man said, "I don't want my kids taught transgender crap."
A third person spoke about a lack of transparency from the board, saying, "They won't respond to me. I want to see the books. That's it. I want to see the books. I want to see what we're spending money on."
When Hansen told the crowd, "We are in a democracy. A couple people aren't the ones making a decision. We all get to vote and make a decision," another man responded, "Right, and you lost!"
And so Hansen and others who are frustrated with what they say is a lack of transparency are taking action.
Strict rules set by the Wisconsin Elections Commission say filers have 60 days to gather signatures. The number of signatures needed depends on a complicated formula to determine 25% of the number of voters in the last gubernatorial election.
The clerk then has 31 days to determine if the signatures are valid. If they are, an election is set for six weeks later.
Those in favor of the recall include political conservatives and progressives, who say politics has crept into what should be a non-partisan decision making process.
Hansen said, "I think when they get onto a board where there are a couple of people that are more ultra conservative, I think maybe they get encouraged to follow the crowd."
The Wisconsin Elections Commission's own handbook acknowledges the rules for initiating a recall are complicated.