The longstanding conflict among the Sunnyside Unified School District governing board members reached another stage after a citizens group launched a recall effort against board members Buck Crouch and Daniel Hernandez Jr.
The group, led by resident Marcos A. Castro, filed the petition with the Pima County School Superintendent’s office on Friday, almost a month after another group started a recall effort against board members Louie Gonzales and Bobby Garcia.
The two recall drives have pitted those who support Superintendent Manuel Isquierdo against community members who oppose his leadership.
Crouch and Hernandez have been among Isquierdo’s biggest critics, citing what they describe as unethical behavior, including: filing for bankruptcy before he was scheduled to lose his Oro Valley home to foreclosure; owing more than $150,000 in back taxes; and having his driver’s license suspended because of unpaid fines and failure to appear in court.
Isquierdo also has faced criticism for making improper charges on his district credit card and for the district’s use of athletes to pass out literature in support of a bond election in past years.
Garcia and Gonzales, along with board member Eva Carrillo Dong, have supported Isquierdo, citing the district’s increased graduation rates and student access to technology.
Last week, Crouch filed an open-meetings complaint with the Pima County Attorney’s Office and Arizona Attorney General, saying Gonzales, Garcia and Dong attended a district event without notifying the public.
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