Liberty Recall, Round Three: Todd Says It’s All Politics
In an extensive rebuttal, the Conservative School Board President pushes back on the new recall effort against him.
Liberty Elementary School District can’t seem to stay out of the headlines.
A new recall campaign has been filed against Governing Board Member Michael Todd, accusing him of mismanagement, open meeting violations, and destabilizing leadership.
Petition organizers, led by Goodyear resident Kristina Guglielmo, have until January 31, 2026 to collect 2,943 valid signatures.
Todd, who has been both a lightning rod and a central figure on the board, isn’t having it. He says the claims are recycled talking points pushed by a small group of activists, not facts. In his own words, he details to State 48 News why he claims all of the allegations are false.
But first, ICYMI you can read part one of the story here:
Renee Jacobson, a parent in the Liberty District, told State 48 News the recall is “a premeditated action” by a small group that had targeted Michael Todd from the moment he joined the board. “They knew they had to wait six months before filing, and the plan was in motion from day one,” she said.
“They fabricate stories about Todd and any board member who doesn’t cater to them, all while ignoring real issues in our schools,” Jacobson added. “I’ve seen staff misuse social media during work hours, bullying incidents left undocumented, and even students given access to platforms that exposed them to predators. When I raised concerns, I was harassed simply for not agreeing with their politics.”
She noted that while many teachers and staff are dedicated, “a few bad actors put politics and protecting colleagues above students. The focus should always be the safety, well-being, and success of the kids — anything less is unacceptable.”
Jacobson closed by stressing that parents want accountability, not politics. “This district once had strong leadership and trust. That’s slipping away, and if we don’t change course, it’s the children who will pay the price.”
State 48 News reached out to 4 Liberty Kids and informed them that Todd had provided an extensive rebuttal. The group responded, “All the allegations listed on the recall petition are factual and we have solid evidence to back up our claims.”
4 Liberty Kids and any other group involved has a standing invitation to present documentation or evidence that is relevant in our publication.
We believe the community deserves full transparency and will continue to provide a platform for both sides to be heard, ensuring parents and taxpayers can weigh the facts for themselves.
Todd Denies Allegations - In His Own Words:
Financial Management
Petition Claim: Todd presided over budget chaos, forcing millions in cuts from student programs.
Todd’s Response: “That’s not true. I wasn’t even on the board when those cuts happened, and I actually pushed back on reckless spending. Student programs were not cut while I’ve served on the board. The district is always reviewing the costs of programs and their efficiencies—that’s what responsible government does.
I did raise serious questions about the IB Signature Program, which was costing the district thousands of dollars each year. It was a failing program, with missed deadlines and extensions, and it received a dismal review from IB itself. That campus is now working to identify a new signature program that will cost the same as what other campuses receive and will be something the campus can actually manage.
My focus has been repairing long-neglected schools. We didn’t have the same carryover as in prior years because past boards and superintendents failed to do proper maintenance and deferred issues for years. We were at a point where it was either spend money now or spend millions more later.
The best analogy I can give is like getting the oil changed in your car. You can skip a few oil changes and think you’re saving money, but in the end you’ll pay far more when the motor fails because you didn’t do the simple maintenance. Replacing the motor costs far more than the oil changes would have.
We had schools that were not ADA compliant, schools with faulty air conditioners, walls starting to crumble. If at the end of the year you have a million dollars in your savings account, but your car doesn’t run, your roof leaks, and you haven’t purchased basic necessities for your family—you’re not a millionaire. You simply didn’t do your job.
Under my leadership, we hired a firm that looked at every property we have and gave a true analysis of their condition. We had to spend money—more than we wanted—but if we didn’t, we’d be spending millions more in the coming years. Our campuses are not in the best shape because the district failed to take care of them for years. I am working to change that.
If you don’t believe me about the condition of the campuses, I invite you to take a tour of the district. This isn’t about just one school, it’s about the entire district. Your local campus may appear fine, but if other campuses are in disrepair, they are pulling resources away from your child’s classroom.
As board president, we also hired a director of facilities—something this district had never had. Since then, he has cleaned up our paperwork with the School Facilities Board and has brought in millions of dollars in state funds to assist with repairs. Prior to that, this district rarely received money from the SFB and instead used classroom dollars for repairs. And we wonder why proficiency was so low.”
Open Meeting Law
Petition Claim: A $3.1 million land purchase was approved outside of a public meeting.
Todd’s Response: “Flat wrong. The board has been transparent, and we even self-reported a potential issue at a recent meeting. But it did not come from me or any other board member. Approval to purchase this land was never made outside of a public meeting. In fact, it wasn’t made by the board at all until after the fact, when we learned it needed formal approval.
We were told by staff that the State School Facilities Board was purchasing the land. Staff later generated a letter saying the board had approved it—that was false, but not the fault of the board. If I had been micromanaging as these critics claim, I would have caught it. They can’t have it both ways—either we’re overreaching, or we’re not involved enough.”
Leadership & Staff Resignations
Petition Claim: Todd micromanaged staff into a mass exodus — over 100 resignations, including 63 teachers.
Todd’s Response: “That accusation is vague at best. I wasn’t on the board for most of those resignations, and these claims are just buzzwords with no evidence. Every year, teachers and staff leave the schools they work for—that’s part of the normal cycle.
Some staff left because they didn’t like finally being held accountable. We had a principal resign who had less than 6% math proficiency on her campus. Was that really a loss to the district?
We also had district staff leave because of the way they were treated by a new board member. Where is this group’s outcry about that? There’s a big difference between treating people poorly and creating a hostile work environment, and simply holding people accountable.”
Superintendent Turnover
Petition Claim: Todd engineered the ouster of three superintendents in three years, wasting district money on buyouts.
Todd’s Response: “False. Any buyouts were contractual obligations, not board plots. I never orchestrated a buyout. Superintendent contracts are a huge problem across the state—you can’t attract one without offering guarantees. Each settlement was predetermined by contract language approved by the full board. Nothing extra was ever offered.
For example, I wasn’t even on the board when Dr. Shough’s contract was signed. When Dr. Monroe was hired, I negotiated what was said to be one of the tightest contracts to date. The interim superintendent’s contract was even tighter and less lucrative.
At no time was any superintendent paid more than their board-approved contract allowed. Until the legislature caps these contracts, districts will keep overpaying because superintendents know they can get more elsewhere.”
Integrity & Transparency
Petition Claim: Todd has eroded trust with a lack of openness and student-first leadership.
Todd’s Response: “Completely unfounded. First and foremost, there have been no claims of corruption that I am aware of. Corruption complaints have been dismissed by the Attorney General, the County School Superintendent, and the Auditor General. If I had disregarded the law, I’d be in trouble.
We recently had a procurement issue that was not approved by the board and went against legal advice. I caught it and brought it forward so we could self-report as a district. Again, this group uses scary words and phrases with zero evidence.
Every complaint filed on the district has been investigated, and none have been upheld. Both open meeting law and budget overspend accusations were debunked by state and county agencies. Year over year, the Auditor General releases reports showing we are one of the best districts at putting money into classrooms instead of administration. We always receive positive reports.
My door is always open. If someone wants to have a civil conversation and learn the facts, schedule a meeting with me. I’ll meet with anyone.
This is the third recall campaign in a year against Liberty board members by a fringe group of disgruntled former employees and activists. Politics doesn’t belong in education, and it seems this group is more interested in pushing an agenda than educating our students.
I have stood up against poor performance in our schools. I have stood up against SEL and DEI, and this group doesn’t like that. I have demanded accountability from our teachers, our leadership, and our district. Our proficiency scores are abysmal, and that’s unacceptable.
Previously, this district was paying nearly $100,000 for an Executive Director of School Effectiveness. Was less than 10% math proficiency really ‘effective’? I lobbied to change that position to a Director of School Improvement at a lower classification, saving money and putting in place a top-notch employee focused on student outcomes.
These recall campaigns aren’t just personal—they drain classrooms. They cost me time, they cost the district money, and they waste taxpayer dollars. A recall election will take nearly $100,000 from classrooms.
The biggest danger to society is the ill-informed voter. Someone who signs a petition based on lies or votes for someone because a neighbor told them to—that’s dangerous. Educate yourself. Look at the facts, not the lies being spread by a small group of disgruntled staff and community members.
Sure, they have a Facebook page with over 1,000 names, but it’s the same 10 people posting and commenting—most of them anonymously. And they’re the ones screaming for transparency? How does posting anonymously support transparency? I haven’t seen a factual statement on that page since it started, and I read it every day.
Where were all these people over the last four years to run for office? I resigned and didn’t campaign in the last election, yet my name was already on the ballot. Despite not campaigning and putting forth no effort, I still received more votes than they got recall signatures on Kris Kenyon—and they had four months to collect them. That says it all.”
Below is the formal statement that Todd provided to all members of the media:
