Petition Fails To Recall 3 Plymouth-Canton School Board Members

PLYMOUTH-CANTON, MI — A petition that sought to recall three Plymouth-Canton school board members failed after it did not get enough signatures, officials said.

The group behind the petition targeted Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education President Shawn Wilson, Vice President Lauren Christenson and Treasurer Patrick Kehoe last August after they voted to drop Canton High School's "Chief" mascot and arrowhead logo.

The school board members issued a joined statement, saying they are pleased that the recall effort failed and are looking to move forward.

"We are delighted with the results and extend our gratitude to everyone who demonstrated their support," officials said in the statement. "The recall effort revealed two significant observations: There exists a notable weariness around negative, deficit-based campaigns and there is a genuine eagerness to participate in constructive, solution-based discussions that lead to meaningful actions."

"Now is the moment to transition away from divisive tactics and collaborate with those who are dedicated to seeking solutions that enhance the well-being of the entire PCCS community," officials added in the statement.

Steve Robb, who identified himself as one of the group's leaders behind the recall effort, told Hometown Life that the group was pleased with the effort, despite not collecting enough signatures, and that they are "not going away."

"We are very proud of the efforts of our P-CCS recall volunteers," Robb told the outlet. "We have created widespread...awareness, highlighting the community’s concerns with our school district. The children, parents and taxpayers in our community deserve better."

In order for the recall petition to succeed, the group needed 50,100 signatures, or 16,700 for each of the three board members. Robb did not say how many signatures the group collected, only noting that it fell short.

The Plymouth-Canton school board voted 6-1 last July to get rid of Canton High School's "Chief" mascot and arrowhead logo after board members said they received lots of complaints from the community, including from students, who believe the name, logo and mascot are offensive to Native Americans.

In December, the board voted 5-1 to change the name and mascot to the Canton Cobras.