Covina : Charter Oak Recall Petitions Turned In

A group opposed to an already approved district reorganization plan has submitted recall petitions against two Charter Oak Unified District school board directors who have supported the plan. Directors Carol Cherry and Ann Hall have been targeted for recall by the group called Concerned Residents of the Charter Oak Unified School District.

Cherry and Hall, whose terms expire in November, 1987, could face recall elections early next year if more than 3,266 petition signatures, or 20% of the district’s 16,330 registered voters, are validated by the Los Angeles County registrar of voters in the next 30 days. A spokesman in the registrar’s office said about 4,000 recall signatures against each director were submitted on Friday.

The district gave final approval this year to a plan that, among other changes, converted Royal Oak High School in Covina into an junior high school and closed Ruddock and Sunflower intermediate schools. When school starts Sept. 9, an estimated 700 students in grades 6, 7 and 8 will be bused to Royal Oak Intermediate School. District officials said the closures were needed because of declining enrollment.

But in petitions which included a long list of grievances, recall proponents contend that Cherry and Hall have hampered public debate on the reorganization plan by refusing to answer questions from citizens during board meetings.

“We have not refused to listen,” said Hall, who was elected to the board in 1979. “We have had more public hearings on (reorganization) than Carter has pills. They have taken full advantage of all their rights to speak at public hearings.” Cherry said she called for a special public hearing last March to answer any remaining questions on the reorganization plan.

Proponents of the recall drive also say that Hall and Cherry have failed to account for what they claim is an anticipated increase in enrollment resulting from new housing construction in the district, which has more than 5,200 pupils. Cherry said the district will be able to absorb any increase in elementary students because, in the reorganization plan, sixth graders at two district elementary schools have been transfered to Royal Oak Intermediary School.