Pasadena Unified School District Board President Tina Fredericks has initiated legal proceedings to prevent a recall effort aimed at removing her from office, alleging violations of California's open-meeting laws. The recall organizers accuse Fredericks of conducting district business in private meetings and improperly advancing a school consolidation plan known as "Consolidation 2027." They also claim she worked with a consultant before the firm was awarded a taxpayer-funded contract exceeding $233,000.
Fredericks has denied the allegations, stating that no more than two or three board members were involved in any communications and that "Consolidation 2027" was merely a collection of personal notes that were never circulated. Her initial legal filing against the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder on July 2 sought to invalidate the recall petition and halt its circulation. The filing controversially included 124 unidentified "Doe" parties, matching the number of residents who had signed the notice of intention to circulate the recall petition.
Recall proponents interpreted this as an intent to sue each signatory, but Fredericks later amended the petition on September 2, removing the residents. She stated this was due to a misunderstanding of filing requirements and that she had no intention of suing them, aiming only to address alleged falsehoods.
The Registrar-Recorder's office approved recall petitions against Fredericks and fellow board member Scott Harden for signature gathering on August 13. Supporters now have until December 11 to collect signatures from 20% of eligible voters in each trustee area to qualify the recall for the ballot.
A hearing is scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Tiana J. Murillo at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles. Fredericks is representing herself in this legal challenge.