Scottsdale Unified School District board president is ousted


SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — In hopes of moving forward, Scottsdale Unified School District has elected a new interim president amid allegations that board president Jann-Michael Greenburg distributed a “dossier” on some parents including photos and personal finances.
The district’s governing board voted 4-1 at an emergency meeting Monday night to elect Patty Beckman as interim president.
Greenburg, a business executive and attorney, cast the only vote against switching presidents.
“We do not have all the facts at this time. To make a decision without those facts that's in the best interest of the district is simply not possible," Greenburg said. “I strongly support the investigations that have been announced both publicly and privately.”
Scottsdale police announced they were investigating the allegations against Greenberg. A department spokesman declined Tuesday to comment on the matter.
District officials, meanwhile, were still going through the process of selecting an outside forensic investigator to see if school resources were utilized in the creation of Google Drive folders on certain parents, district spokeswoman Nancy Norman said.
Parents who called for Greenberg’s resignation after the dossier was discovered were not satisfied.
“We are happy he was demoted and a new president was put in place, but this is not enough,” Carine Werner, who alleges she was in the dossier, told AZFamily.com.
Emmie Cardella, a parent who was not at the meeting, thinks people should refrain from weighing in until the investigations are complete.
“I feel like not all the information is out there," Cardella said. “My bigger concern is just the negativity around the board. This board has been very well functioning for the last two years.”
Scottsdale is among several Arizona districts that have seen intense public pressure from a group of parents upset over mask mandates, quarantine requirements or teaching on race and diversity. School board protesters have received enthusiastic encouragement from Republican candidates looking to capitalize on a growing push for “parental rights,” a focus that is credited with helping Republican Glenn Youngkin win Virginia’s governorship earlier this month.
Kari Lake, the GOP frontrunner for Arizona governor, tweeted about the meeting Tuesday.
“SCANDAL: If you found out the School Board President had photos of YOUR kids saved to his computer, wouldn’t you want him OUT? I stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Moms & Dads to replace the ENTIRE School Board!"
Cardella said some of the outraged parents have a history of attacking board members or other parents who disagree with them on social media. The attacks included posting photos of Greenburg when he was outside of work. It's unfortunate that the entire ordeal has resulted in “salacious” attention for the district.
“There's lots of parents like me that are just trying to take care of my local school and my school district,” Cardella said. "The district will survive with or without (Greenburg). Let's focus on that positive work and not get all this attention.”
This is what the American people can accomplish when they stand up and organize and take back their children's education.
Mark it up as another victory over the radical left.
Exactly how does removing the president affect the educational curriculum?
You mean the radical right. Show me that Jann-Michael Greenburg is a democrat, or even a liberal.
This particular president distributed a “dossier” on some parents including photos and personal finances. That's called intimidation. I'd say that was an important first step in preserving parents voice in their children's education. In my opinion their civil rights were violated.
Has nothing to do with the education curriculum.
No it's not. But you are once again ignoring the actual question.
How? What did it change in their educational curriculum? Specifically.
You may be right, but once again it has absolutely nothing to do with my question.
I notice that you ignored my request showing the president was a democrat or a liberal. I therefore must assume that you know he was a conservative republican but as usual refuse to admit you were wrong.
Day after day we are seeing the Soviet like operations of the left.
They are moving full speed ahead because they know it all comes to an end in about a year.
He distributed a lot more than that: property records, Social Security numbers, divorce data, mortgage data, and more.
Like I say, I think it was a criminal act.
He distributed photographs over the internet of children without obtaining their parents' knowledge or permission. Hmmm ... there's a name for that!
Today House Republicans introduced a Parents Bill of Rights: