'Exhausted': Former West Ada board chair announces resignation, cites harassment [The Idaho Statesman]

Feb. 15—West Ada School District Trustee Amy Johnson on Monday announced she would resign from her role.

In a resignation letter — which she read at the end of the board meeting Monday night — Johnson wrote she was "exhausted" and wanted to protect her family and employer from "further harassment."

"While the entire pandemic has been challenging for everyone, the behaviors of a minority of individuals in our West Ada community in the last six months have been shocking and appalling," said Johnson, the former board chair. "These individuals have threatened me personally, made threats against my children, they have made slanderous and false allegations that were baseless and without proof."

She added that her employer, Blue Cross of Idaho, was targeted.

Last year, a group of parents launched a recall effort against Johnson, alleging she had a conflict of interest because she had been working for Blue Cross, a health insurance company that has supported COVID-19 vaccines and masks, while she had been involved in making public health decisions for the district. A formal petition was not submitted in the recall effort.

David Binetti — who started the West Ada Parents Association, which fought for a mask-optional policy — did submit a complaint to board members at the time that detailed why he believed there was a conflict of interest, and called for an evaluation.

In response to the complaint, the board said its research had not confirmed a policy or code of ethics violation.

"The broad manner in which you are interpreting a subjective 'perceived' conflict would prevent any board member with any level of knowledge or expertise on any issue from voting on a matter for which they have knowledge or expertise," the response said.

Johnson calls for board to be open to different perspectives

In her resignation letter, Johnson described the actions of a "small few" as "bullying" that should not be tolerated. She said she had faced threats and continued and prolonged harassment during her time on the board.

"As adults we set the example for our children, and acting this way is unbecoming and incongruent with Idaho values," she said. "Idahoans have long valued service to the community, respect and care for one another, independence, and most of all personal integrity."

Many of the "bullies" she had faced were people who had moved to Idaho recently, she said. Others in the community, she said, had told her they were "disgusted" by what they were seeing at school board meetings and on social media.

Moving forward, Johnson said she hoped the board would be open to "different perspectives," take time to look at the facts and data, and hear from the experts before making decisions. She also called for the board to protect the nonpartisan nature of the school board.

"That being said, my utmost hope is that you honor the vast responsibility you have now to serve all kids, all staff and all parents in this great district," she said.

Johnson has served as a trustee since January 2020. The board will have to formally accept the resignation before filling the vacant spot.

Resignation comes after new board members sworn in

Johnson's resignation comes after two new members joined the board last month after being elected in November.

Both new trustees, Lori Frasure and Angie Redford, oppose mask mandates. Johnson has in the past supported masks and other COVID-19 mitigation protocols.

The district's mask mandate was lifted after Thanksgiving.

When the new members were sworn in, the board also underwent a shakeup, with Frasure elected as vice chair, and Rusty Coffelt, who joined the board in January 2021, as chair.

The Nampa School District also experienced a wave of resignations in recent weeks, following the elections of three new board members.

In Nampa, Trustee Mike Kipp submitted a resignation letter at the end of January and said he was weary and tired after serving in the role during the pandemic. Johnson cited the resignation of Kipp in her letter.

About a week later, former Superintendent Paula Kellerer announced her resignation. In her resignation letter, she said the board and superintendent need to create a vision that puts children first, but sometimes "values and deeply held individual beliefs are too far apart."

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