County rejects recall of Sequoia Union school board member over petition errors

Parents seeking to remove Sequoia Union High School District board member Richard Ginn from office had their recall efforts rejected by the San Mateo County Elections Office over a clerical error. According to a TIDE Rising press release, the parent group will restart the recall process not only for Ginn but also for trustees Mary Beth Thompson and Maria Cruz. 

TIDE Academy parents are driving the recall effort after coming together in November, when the district said it was weighing the closure of the 200-student STEM-based high school in Menlo Park. Board members cited declining enrollment rates and a budget deficit for their decision to shut down the school in June. 

In response, irate parents are targeting board members who face reelection in 2028 and are asking board members, Amy Koo and Sathvik Nori, whose terms end in 2026, to not seek reelection in November. 

The recall effort also cites the increase in lawsuits against the district, which include allegations of racial discrimination and staff retaliation, violation of the Brown Act (the state’s open meeting law). and failure to address antisemitism and sexual assaults.

“The trustees have a duty to engage with the issues, debate them publicly and hold the superintendent accountable, not rubber-stamp whatever she proposes,” said TIDE parent Marijane Leonard in a statement. 

Previous attempts to recall Thompson and Cruz were rejected on April 24 for things like petition signers omitting their ZIP codes. Only registered voters who live in a board member’s district can sign the recall petition.

Ginn was the only board member successfully served with a recall notice from the county. He represents West Menlo Park, Portola Valley, Woodside, Emerald Hills and part of Redwood City.

However, the county rejected the notice to recall Ginn on May 15 after it was discovered that TIDE Rising representatives filed a preliminary draft rather than the actual document that was served to Ginn and published in the San Mateo Daily Journal. 

Lead petitioner Johanna Mahal said in a press release that she recognized the error and submitted an affidavit explaining the issue. The county elections office said staff would determine the validity of the filing by May 8, but parents were notified that it was rejected a week later. 

“We are disappointed that the county did not communicate with us by their deadline,” said Mahal. Despite the setbacks, “we are not going to give up,” she added. 

TIDE Rising encouraged the community to become informed about the Sequoia district’s operations. 

“It’s important for all voters and taxpayers to be aware of what is happening, not just those with school-age children,” said the press release.