Group pushes to recall local school board member

Posted: May 9, 2012 7:00 PM by Ariel Wesler, KSBY News
Updated: May 11, 2012 5:55 AM

Some community members in Santa Maria have launched a campaign to recall Santa Maria Bonita School Board Member Will Smith.

Smith was elected to the school board in November 2010. Since then, district officials say he has caused disruptions in school board meetings, and the police have been called multiple times. Meanwhile, Smith argues he's just trying to bring change to the district and speak out for what's right.

"It's not my personal agenda. It's the agenda of the people, Smith said during an interview Wednesday.

"This is a personal vendetta. this is not about making the district better," said Glenn Goldin, a local teacher at Santa Maria High, who's spearheading the movement.

It's been a battle to restore order at the Santa Maria Bonita School District. Goldin and his fellow supporters are mounting an effort to oust board member Will Smith.

"The police have been called 4 times. One meeting was cancelled based on his behavior, and this is behavior that happens in front of children. A board member is supposed to represent our community," Goldin said.

"I was not brought there to rubber stamp an agenda but to make sure that I understand that the people's money is being spent properly, and that's what I do," Smith argued.

Close to 70 people showed up at Tuesday night's recall meeting. Goldin says they have enough signatures to serve Smith with an intent to recall.

"I'm not worried about this recall at all," Smith said.

He calls the recall organizers a "special interest group," and he encourages people to do their homework before jumping onboard.

"When the truth comes out and it has a weird way of doing it, people will understand what I'm going for and what I'm about," Smith said.

"If a special interest is protecting the students of the Santa Maria Bonita School District than I'm guilty," Goldin said.

For the recall to hit the ballot boxes, the group must gather 10,000 signatures, but they say they're confident this movement will grow.

The group is in the process of creating a website and hopes to hold a special recall election early next year.