YORK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) — An official process is now underway to try to recall a controversial school board member in York County.
The push to oust Lynda Fairman, who was previously removed as the board’s chair in a board vote back in May, is a “natural next step,” per Alan Kennedy, a local professor who’s been helping with the effort. The petitioners have planned an official public announcement during Monday night’s school board meeting at 7 p.m.
Kennedy says there has been “a clear pattern of misconduct and abuse of power by Mrs. Fairman” since she took office earlier this year.
“There’s a pattern of acting without legal authority,” Kennedy added. “We saw that with Mrs. Fairman signing a contract with the right-wing [School Board Member Alliance] without board approval, that’s really disconcerting. And then doubling down by conspiring with SBMA to threaten [now Board Chair Kimberly Goodwin] to keep Mrs. Fairman as the chair.”
The document also lists several other reasons petitioners believe Fairman should be removed or resign from the position, including that Fairman’s actions toward Superintendent Victor Shandor violated state law and the board’s code, in addition to creating a hostile work environment.
Here’s the full list of reasons cited in the petition:
1. Lynda J. Fairman improperly threatened to fire the superintendent, without cause, after being fired from her position as a substitute teacher, creating a hostile work environment.
2. Lynda J. Fairman improperly removed the superintendent, without cause, from the dais, at Fairman’s first meeting as a school board member, creating a hostile work environment.
3. Lynda J. Fairman improperly told the superintendent to record/report a school family life meeting, despite clear lack of authority to do so, in violation of state law and board policy. After being rebuffed, Fairman encouraged militia supporters to tape the family life meeting.
4. Lynda J. Fairman improperly ordered the school board attorney not to speak with the news media, despite clear lack of authority and in violation of state law and board policy.
5. Lynda J. Fairman improperly ordered the school board clerk on Mar. 20, 2024 to remove an agenda item requested by 2 members, without authority and in violation of board policy.
6. Lynda J. Fairman improperly shared information from a closed school board session with the public, despite clear lack of authority and in violation of state law and board policy.
7. Lynda J. Fairman improperly required official, sectarian prayers at board meetings. After litigation warnings, other school board members rescinded the unconstitutional practice.
8. Lynda J. Fairman improperly threatened to have the sheriff remove citizens for standing and applauding. After litigation warnings, the sheriff disavowed the unconstitutional order.
9. Lynda J. Fairman improperly signed a contract with the partisan SBMA organization on Apr. 30, 2024, despite clear lack of authority and in violation of state law and board policy.
10. Lynda J. Fairman improperly colluded with the partisan SBMA organization to threaten fellow school board member Kimberly S. Goodwin that “if she did not vote the way that the SBMA wanted her to, and support Fairman [in the upcoming vote to remove her as chair], that Goodwin would no longer receive support from the SBMA,” in violation of York County policies and laws prohibiting SBMA from threatening members regarding their public votes.
Via the petition seeking to remove Lynda Fairman from the York County School Board
Fairman was previously the head of a new 3-2 school board majority in York County. The contingent (Fairman, new Chair Kimberly Goodwin and board member Zoran Pajevic) were all elected in 2023 after running on a right-wing platform in line with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s “parents’ rights” movement.
The new majority’s actions under Fairman quickly led to a “tsunami of discontent” from the school district and greater community, including concerns about alleged ties to a local militia and potential legal jeopardy. The turmoil eventually culminated with Fairman being removed from her position as chair in late May.
Meanwhile, unlike a previous effort back in April that called for the resignation of Fairman, Goodwin and Pajevic, Kennedy emphasized that this is a legal document that could force Fairman’s removal from the board.
The petitioners will need signatures from 285 registered voters in York’s District 5, 10% of the 2,847 votes Fairman received in the 2023 election, to send the matter to court. A judge would then hear the case and decide whether to remove Fairman from office based on the evidence presented.
“I think that the charges speak for themselves,” Kennedy said about the chances that a judge might rule against Fairman.
WAVY reached out to Fairman ahead of Monday’s meeting, but she did not immediately respond. We’ll update this story with any comments.