Judge dismisses recall petition against Seattle School Board member Liza Rankin
SEATTLE - In a key ruling Thursday, a King County judge dismissed all charges against Seattle School Board Director Liza Rankin, determining the recall petition lacked both legal and factual sufficiency.
The heated hearing examined a series of allegations against District 1 director Rankin, centering on claims of misconduct, breach of fiduciary duty, and other malfeasance. The hearing featured spirited arguments from both the petitioners’ attorney and Rankin’s counsel, with Superior Court judge Michael Scott emphasizing the need for specificity.
"I’d really like to focus in on allegations of misfeasance, malfeasance, and breach of both," said Scott during the proceedings. "It’s not about how popular or unpopular Director Rankin or other board members may be. It’s about whether they abused their office or committed misconduct."
Petitioners alleged that Rankin improperly led the board in adopting a rushed school closure process. However, Scott found the claims mischaracterized the board’s actions.
"This was not a vote to close schools," Scott ruled. "It was a directive for the superintendent to develop cost-saving proposals, potentially including school closures. This does not constitute misfeasance, malfeasance, or violation of the oath of office."
The attorney for the petitioners, Mr. Harrington, claimed that Rankin’s leadership as board president dismantled essential oversight mechanisms, particularly by abolishing the Finance Committee.
Liza Rankin: District 1 School Board Director
"President Rankin has led efforts to dismantle functions of oversight and defer to management," Harrington said. "This is a breach of fiduciary duty that has had tangible impacts, including cost overruns at Rainier Beach High School and construction problems at Montlake Elementary."
When Judge Scott pressed Harrington to provide specific evidence, he noted incidents like classroom reshuffling at the start of the school year but faced skepticism from the court.
"There’s no declaration to back up this assertion," Judge Scott said. "You paint with a broad brush, but without legal requirements for the Finance Committee, your argument lacks precision."
Another contentious issue revolved around a May 2024 board meeting where a director participated remotely via text. Petitioners alleged this violated Washington law, which they argued requires verbal participation to mean spoken communication.
Rankin’s counsel countered, asserting that the district’s policy allows remote participation and that "verbal" includes written text in this context.
"Director Rankin openly disclosed the text during the meeting and consulted legal counsel," Rankin’s attorney said. "This was consistent with governance and not a violation of the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA)."
Judge Scott rejected this, finding no violation of law.
"The text vote was disclosed in real time during the meeting, and Director Rankin consulted with the district’s general counsel to ensure compliance with OPMA," Scott said. "This does not breach the letter or spirit of the act and does not constitute misfeasance or malfeasance."
Petitioners also alleged Rankin failed to provide adequate transparency and oversight. These claims focused on her leadership in abolishing certain committees, which petitioners described as a breach of fiduciary duty.
"There is no requirement that the board maintain specific committees," Scott ruled. "No law or standard has been cited to support that abolishing committees constitutes a violation of fiduciary duty or abuse of office."
Rankin’s attorney characterized the petition as harassment of a twice-elected board member.
"This petition is based on distorted interpretations of Director Rankin’s role," her counsel argued. "The charges are factually and legally insufficient."
Judge Scott dismissed all charges, saying "None of the allegations substantiate claims of misconduct, let alone misfeasance, malfeasance, or violation of oath. The recall petition does not meet the legal threshold."
"We feel like we stood up for the people of Seattle who are deeply frustrated with the direction of Seattle Public Schools and want to hold their elected leaders accountable for their failure to meet the needs of Seattle kids," said parent Ben Gitensteins. "While the judge decided on a very strict legal matter regarding the recall petition, it is clear that the people of Seattle want change and will not put up with this anymore."
Rebekah Binns, also a parent petitioning Rankin's recall who attended the hearing, called the outcome a victory despite the court's dismissal.
"This is a win. They stopped school closures for now. They heard us. They know we are a force to be reckoned with," Binns said.
With four school board seats opening in the Nov. 2025 election, recall supporters urged voters to prioritize electing candidates committed to significant reform.
"Elect better school board candidates who will direct real change," said Gitenstein. "Change is coming, whether this board wants it or not."
The petitioners highlighted the upcoming elections as an opportunity to shift the district’s priorities and leadership. "Find and vote for better candidates, support them," Gitenstein said. "That’s how we bring real direction and change."
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