‘Failed attempt to undermine an election’: Recall of conservative Kansas school board member fails

(The Sentinel) – Supporters of a campaign to oust USD 453 board member Vanessa Reid failed to gather the required number of signatures on a petition to place a recall election on the ballot.

Opponents of Reid, in her first term on the board, had accused her of official misconduct. They had 90 days to gather some 1,100 signatures, 40% of those voting in the 2021 election for her position, to call a special election that, according to the Leavenworth County Clerk’s office, would have cost the USD 453 District about $10,000 to conduct.

Again, according to the clerk’s office, organizers failed to submit a single signature by the July 24^th deadline.

The victorious Reid said she hoped her experience would be an example for others:

“I thank God for His goodness. This failed attempt to undermine an election puts a dark chapter in this community behind us. The failure of this small group of activists offers encouragement to other principled school board members, and future candidates, that parents want our schools to be places of education, not indoctrination. To that end, we will continue serving.”

Reid’s efforts to get the district to focus on improving low student achievement angered some people.  More than half of students in USD 453 are below grade level in math, and only 13% are proficient.  English Language Arts are only marginally better.

We reached out to campaign organizers Courtney Ricard, Jared Johnson, Michelle Johnson, and Krista Nussbaum for their reaction to the end of the recall effort. None responded.