GVUSD: Five Teachers Quit, Board Members Closer to Recall

Three members of a north valley school board are one step closer to being recalled. It comes after a heated meeting of the Golden Valley Unified School Board in Madera Ranchos. 

The district is comprised of three schools. Tuesday night, five teachers quit and three members of the school board may soon be given their walking papers. 

Events leading up to the face off Tuesday night at Liberty High actually started last February when the board of trustees voted to fire popular Superintendent Andy Alvarado. Afterward, moves for a recall election for three board members started immediately.

At the meeting it was announced that five teachers have submitted resignations at Liberty High. The board was presented with a notice of sufficiency, which means enough signatures have been gathered to force a recall election. Teachers don’t know what will happen next.

"Our goal right now is to make it through the end of the year so it’s not good, it’s a daily battle," said   Terry Malmstrom, the president of the teachers’ union. 

The trustees facing recall are Carla Neal, Kathleen Crumpton and John Moseley. Some parents say Alvarado’s ouster has brought chaos to the district.

"And then all of a sudden this happened.  We had these three board members come out and they’ve completely turned our district upside down," Patty Groh. 

  

In the age of social media, students are aware of what’s going on and it’s  making the situation worse.

"The junior high and the high schools they’re all on facebook they see everything that’s written and they see the parents talking on facebook and stuff so they know what’s going on absolutely," said an unnamed parent at the meeting.

One of the teachers who resigned also spoke to the crowd saying he has faith in the district. "That’s why I have full faith that this district will bounce back. I have full faith that this district, that God’s people will prevail."

The board voted to decide on when to hold the election in two weeks, which is the maximum time allowed- a decision that left many parents confused.

"Whether you’re for this or against this I have yet to hear one reason stretching this out could possibly help , yet every chance you get you seem to drag it out," said a parent speaking from the podium.

The board is slated to announce when the recall election will be held Friday, May 1, at 9am.

Many parents say that will make it tough for them to attend. 

Assistant Superintendent Kevin Hatch was named by the board to replace Alvarado, pending contract approval.