Gleason Asks Governor to Remove GISD Board Members

Senator John J. Gleason (D- Flushing) announced today that he has sent a letter to Governor Rick Snyder requesting the removal of Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD) board members Lawrence Ford and Paul Newman. The letter sites Article 5, Section 10 of the Michigan Constitution which grants powers to the Governor to remove public officers for “gross neglect of duty or for corrupt conduct in office, or for any other misfeasance or malfeasance.”

“Unfortunately it’s the students who suffer the most when there is such a failure in leadership by GISD board members. The students are the ones who feel the pinch when money is misspent,” said Senator Gleason. “I don’t see how the citizens in Genesee County can have faith that taxpayer dollars are being spent appropriately if no one is held accountable for this gross oversight and lack of preventative action.”

Senator Gleason notes that because GISD members are elected by local school boards and not the public directly, there are significant hurdles to overcome for parents seeking their removal. There has been much public outrage after an audit uncovered that $87,000 was potentially misused by former Assistant Superintendent Beverly Knox-Pipes. She has since been fired.