Pueblo students don’t get enough signatures for D60 recall effort

After more than 50 days of gathering signatures for the District 60 recall petition, Pueblo students tell KRDO they have called it quits. According to one of the student leaders, they have only received around 3,000 of the 8,000 signatures needed before Monday.

Back in May, students and teachers alike were upset after Pueblo city board members voted not to give teachers a two percent cost of living increase in pay. That disagreement led to a week-long strike.

The recall effort targeted three of those board members: Pueblo City School Board President Barb Clementi, vice-president Frank Latino, and board member Bobby Gonzales. The petition effort began because students believed board members were disrespectful to teachers and were not transparent with the public in their decision-making process.

Last week student leaders told reporters with The Pueblo Chieftain they were finished gathering signatures, and this week told the same reporters they turned the petition into the county clerk’s office. Pueblo County Clerk Gilbert Ortiz tells KRDO they have not received any petitions pertaining to the school board recall.

Today one of students organizers, Peyton Roth, says his group never received enough signatures and did not turn anything into the clerk’s office.

Roth says the group will no longer pursue any more signatures from voters within the school district.

Tuesday afternoon, the three school board members targeted by the petition released a joint statement in response to the new development:

“We applaud the activism of the students and community members involved in this effort and urge each of them to get involved in the efforts of the school district with its new strategic plan, and to become involved at the community level with initiative 93, both of which are grassroots efforts which will positively impact our community, our education system, and create new opportunities for our kids.”