County approves circulation of recall petitions for two Pasadena Unified trustees
The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder on Thursday approved the circulation of recall petitions against Pasadena Unified School District Board President Tina Fredericks and trustee Scott Harden, setting in motion a months-long campaign that could prompt costly special elections and further tension in local school governance.
Petition proponents now have until Dec. 11 to collect valid signatures equal to 20% of eligible voters in each trustee area. That translates to 4,075 signatures for Fredericks in Area 6 and 3,543 for Harden in Area 4, according to figures provided by the county.
| Trustee Area | Trustee | Signatures required (20%) |
|---|---|---|
| Area 6 | Tina Fredericks | 4,075 |
| Area 4 | Scott Harden | 3,543 |
The recall effort stems from controversial internal discussions earlier this year among PUSD board members about potential school consolidation and related strategy, records show. Those records prompted critics to accuse board members of inappropriate deliberations prior to hiring an outside consultant. The district’s legal counsel reviewed the matter in June and concluded the board did not violate the state’s Brown Act, the open-meeting law that governs public agencies.
In response to the approved circulation, Fredericks released a written statement calling the recall "built on baseless and unfounded accusations," and warned of the financial toll a successful recall could levy on the district. "A constituent would be agreeing to the additional cost to the school district, putting additional financial burden on an already financially-burdened district," she said, adding the action "could cost the district 20 jobs."
"A constituent would be agreeing to the additional cost to the school district, putting additional financial burden on an already financially-burdened district,"
Harden also pushed back on the effort, arguing that the cost of special elections would divert funds from classrooms and services. "Special election costs take directly from teachers, programs, and the services our students rely on every day," his statement said.
Those financial concerns are central to debate in Pasadena. District officials and trustees have repeatedly cited tight budgets and difficult trade-offs as they consider how to preserve programs and staffing. Fredericks said the combined cost of special elections for both seats could approach $2 million, a figure she presented as an example of the stakes for students and staff.
Political and calendar implications
If organizers meet the signature thresholds by the Dec. 11 deadline, special elections would be required to determine whether each trustee remains in office. The timing and cost of those elections would be separate from the regular November ballot, where two other board seats — held by Kimberly Kenne and Yarma Velázquez — are already due for election. Velázquez has said she will not seek re-election.
Recall proponents must gather valid signatures within the statutory time frame and submit them for verification by county election officials. If the petitions fail to reach the 20% threshold, no special election would be scheduled and the recall effort would end for the 2027 cycle.
- Organizers have until Dec. 11 to collect signatures for each trustee area.
- Fredericks’ Area 6 requires 4,075 valid signatures; Harden’s Area 4 needs 3,543.
- District legal counsel previously found no Brown Act violation stemming from the contested records.
The recall follows months of public debate over a proposed school consolidation plan and the district’s decision-making process after hiring Total School Solutions as an independent consultant. That plan and the controversy around it have prompted strong opinions among parents, staff and community members about the direction of Pasadena Unified.
As signature collection begins, both supporters and opponents of the recall are likely to intensify outreach. For residents, the unfolding effort raises immediate questions about district finances, trustee accountability and the potential for further disruption in a system already navigating budget pressures and community divisions.
Election officials will verify submitted signatures and determine whether the petitions meet the legal requirements to trigger a recall election. Until then, the district and its community face several months of campaigning, public hearings and media attention centered on the future composition of the PUSD Board of Education.
