In what may be the first attempt in California to unseat an entire school board, high school students and supporters who want to oust all five members of the Big Oak Flat-Groveland School Board fired collected enough signatures to put the issue before voters, the Tuolumne County clerk said Friday. The students organized the recall campaign as a civics project after the board voted to get rid of their popular math teacher Ryan Duton, a former professional football player.
The controversy began in September after Supt. Mari Brabbin and the school board removed Dutton from his job teaching math at Tioga High School over an allegation of plagiarism. He also lost his post coaching baseball. Dutton, 31, who was studying for his teaching credential at Cal State Fresno, was accused of copying another student’s homework in March. He denied the charge. The University says the allegations were unfounded but the school board refused to reconsider its decision, so the students organized a recall campaign and tossed out the entire school board.
The school board is scheduled to meet next week to receive formal notice that the recall has qualified. The board will have the option of calling the election itself and allowing a vote entirely by mail.
For the complete story as reported in the Los Angeles Times, click here.
