Howell school board recall already embroiled in controversy

The folks organizing a recall of Howell School Board members Jeannine Pratt, Debi Drick and Ed Literski are crying foul– and their movement is just getting off the ground.

Organizers say a move by Jay Drick and Norm Pratt to sit in their cars at the local Baymont Inn where organizers held their first organization was potentially a first step towards “illegal” activity. Drick and Pratt say they were counting people going in and did nothing wrong.

The incident occurred on July 9, reports The Livingston County Press Argus.

Jeannine Pratt had this to say in an email the Press Argus:

“While some of these suggestions are certainly more zealous than others, it should be noted that none of us has taken part in any inappropriate behavior.”

Pratt when on to say the recall effort has nothing to do with the June 26 firing of former superintendent Ted Gardella, and everything to do with a community group called Livingston Organization for Values in Education (LOVE). Pratt said the organization is attempting to take over the schools.

LOVE was organized to oppose the displaying of a rainbow flag in the schools and has since sought to ban certain books from the libraries. Wendy Day, a school board member and an anti-tax organizer, is involved in the organization. She is not facing recall.

Matthew Davis, a Lansing-based attorney representing McCormick, said surveillance is often the first step of more aggressive steps that could be illegal.

Davis, who handles recall and election cases, said he’s watched surveillance evolve into infiltration, fraud and actions to thwart a recall.

While he said the anti-recall members haven’t done anything illegal so far, he said their actions and mind-set could evolve into something more serious.

“It’s clear they’re trying to organization[sic] an opposition,” Davis said.

Organizers have until July 31 to collect 5,000 valid signatures to put the recall on the November ballot.