Parents file petition to recall Seattle School Board President Liza Rankin

- A group of Seattle parents and community members filed a petition Friday to recall Seattle Public Schools Board President Liza Rankin, accusing her of misfeasance, malfeasance and violations of her oath of office, including actions related to school closures.

This filing marks the first step in recalling an elected official in Washington state, a process that requires approval from a King County Superior Court judge before the petition can be circulated to gather signatures.

"As Board President, Liza Rankin must uphold the highest standards in public office, especially in a time of urgent crisis like that which Seattle Public Schools now faces," said Ben Gitenstein, a parent and petitioner. "Instead, Rankin has committed violations that have worsened our district's crisis. Rankin has advanced an unjust and unfair school closure process, closed down community engagement and transparency, and failed to provide basic oversight of the district."

The petition claims Rankin oversaw a rushed school closure process, limited public engagement and failed in her oversight responsibilities, which it says contributed to declining academic performance.

Petitioners allege that Rankin's leadership has wrecked trust and compromised the district's integrity.

Among the parents petitioning to recall is Rebekah Binns, a parent of two children at Graham Hill Elementary.

"This is not about her as a person; this is about leadership," said Binns.

Binns was catapulted into school politics after her children's elementary school was included in the district's Well-Resourced Schools Plan A, a proposal to close 21 schools. Binns and other parents question the rationale, noting the estimated 5–7% savings may not justify consolidating eight schools next year.

"You've heard that we don't like the direction you're moving in," Binns said. "So let's engage in conversation. It doesn't have to be this horrible fight."

While Binns was relieved the school district opted to take a slower approach, walking down from 21 schools to just four, she describes the reprieve as "a stay of execution," given the district's continued push toward "right-sizing" schools.

"It's not all her, but somebody is leading the direction, and the direction is wrong," said Binns.

She emphasized SPS's engagement process lacks inclusivity, as recent meetings have been dominated by English-speaking, white participants, a demographic she says does not reflect the broader SPS community. "When your community engagement looks like white people who speak English, that's not engagement," said Binns, also describing the SPS meetings as "performative."

"Well-resourced schools could have been sold as, 'We have a huge budget deficit, families, we are going to have to make drastic cuts,' you would have had a different turnout to these meetings if people understood the gravity," Binns said.

Recent polling by Change Research for the Northwest Progressive Institute suggests voter dissatisfaction with the Seattle school board. The poll indicates that 41% of Seattle voters would support a recall, with 27% opposed and 33% undecided.

"Every child deserves access to a high-quality education in a safe, supportive environment," Janai Ray, a former PTA president and petition supporter, said. "The current administration's decisions have failed to prioritize the well-being and success of our students. Now we must hold leadership accountable through a recall effort."

"I wish I didn't have to submit a recall petition to force President Rankin and the District to actually engage with the community, but it has come to this," said Binns.

In September, Seattle Public Schools proposed closing 21 schools , though the district later scaled back the closures for the 2025-26 school year to four schools .

If a judge approves the petition, organizers will need valid signatures from 25% of voters in the 2023 District 1 school board election, totaling 48,659 signatures, to place the recall on the ballot.

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