Educators Fear Going Door-to-Door, Urge Lawmakers for E-Signature Reform for Recall Petitions
A history of recall efforts highlights ongoing tensions and leadership challenges within the Liberty Elementary School District.
State 48 News tracks ongoing tensions in Buckeye, AZ, where the Liberty Elementary School Board faces mounting challenges since a conservative majority took control.
State 48 News Senior Journalist Christy Kelly (@Kelly4Humanity) reported yesterday, the district has seen community backlash, mass resignations, and secret recordings involving the board president.
Sources inform State 48 News the removal of certain policies has created division within the district, with some faculty and parents expressing dissatisfaction, while others point to board leadership as the issue.
Yesterday, a community group organized a sick-out that coincided with a national ICE day of protest. Student absences across the district increased significantly, though it remains unclear whether the absences were due to the sick-out or the immigration-related protest.
Board President Bryan Parks, in an exclusive interview with State 48 News, downplayed the opposition, claiming that only "about 10 people" are dissatisfied, while he receives broader support. Activist groups dispute this claim.
Additionally, former school board member Mark Aguire filed official recall petitions against board members Bryan Parks and Kris Kenyon, signaling a new development in the district’s ongoing political tensions.
Following the announcement of a recall petition against him, Liberty Elementary School District Board President Bryan Parks addressed public criticism during the February 3, 2025, school board meeting.
The group "4 Liberty Kids" is pushing to recall two Liberty Elementary School District board members, citing fiscal mismanagement, lack of transparency, and harmful decisions impacting students and staff. They demand leadership putting the district's community first.
Bryan Parks faces allegations of dismissing stakeholder voices, fiscal instability, staff retention failures, and inappropriate comments about parents.
Kristopher Kenyon is accused of financial mismanagement, ignoring stakeholders, undermining education quality, and jeopardizing the district’s stability.
HISTORY OF RECALL EFFORTS IN THE LIBERTY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Recall efforts are not new to the Liberty Elementary School District.
In 2023, the attempt to recall transgender Liberty Elementary School District board member Paul Bixler was unsuccessful after petitioners did not submit the required signatures.
In 2021, an attempt to recall two of the five governing board members, Suzanne McEvoy and Mark Aguire, did not proceed to a vote. McEvoy resigned on July 30, 2021, while the effort against Aguire failed to qualify for the ballot. Aguire is leading the charge in the current recalls.
In 2017, the group Citizens for Positive Change for the Liberty Elementary School District launched recall petitions against four board members, three of whom ultimately resigned.
These past efforts highlight a history of contentious leadership and community pushback within the district.
Educators Seek Electronic Signatures for Recall Petitions
Making its way through the state legislature is SB1041. It would allow school board candidates to collect electronic signatures for nomination petitions through Arizona’s secure online system, making the process more accessible and efficient.
For nominations only. Not recalls.
In January, two educators from the Liberty Elementary School District testified before the Arizona Senate Committee on Education, advocating for electronic signatures to be permitted for recall petitions under SB1041.
Bill Sponsor Sen. John Kavanagh Rejects Amendment, Calls It a ‘Poison Pill’
Arizona State Senator John Kavanagh (R-LD3) acknowledges the educators’ request as reasonable and fair but refuses to support it, stating, “There are realities in politics.” He warns that an amendment would kill the bill, labeling it a “poison pill amendment.”
“Recall to any elected official - including all 90 legislators - is a four letter word. We fear that word. In order to get an amendment onto this bill, that allowed for recall of school board members, many would assume - using the slippery slope logical fallacy, which would probably not be a logical fallacy in this case - that tomorrow, the recall electronic option would be available for other races including their race. And it would jeopardize them more easily.”
-Sen. John Kavanaugh | January 22, 2025
Without the provision for recall e-signatures, SB1041 passed its third reading yesterday in the Arizona State Senate, with Sen. Jake Hoffman as the sole 'no' vote. Now, the bill moves to the House of Representatives, where it will undergo the committee process again, including potential amendments, before facing a final vote on the House floor. If approved by both chambers, SB1041 will be sent to the Governor for signature to become law.