Mukilteo School Board has vacancy with resignation of Michael Simmons

MUKILTEO — Michael Simmons is resigning from the Mukilteo School District Board of Directors after serving more than 11 years.

The announcement came at the board’s Monday meeting.

“The time commitment of a board member is without question a key piece of serving, and I have always been all-in,” Simmons, who represents District 1, wrote in a resignation letter. “… However, as I wind toward the next phase of my professional working career, and with serious consideration of other personal matters, I am unable to continue at the pace that I feel is warranted to be an effective school board member.”

Simmons plans to stay until the board finds a replacement, but not later than March 27. Whoever is appointed will serve the remaining months of his term.

Because the seat is up for election in November, the appointee would need to run for office if they wanted to serve a full term.

Applicants for the vacancy must be a United States citizen and a qualified voter who resides in District 1. Those interested have until 3 p.m. Feb. 28 to submit a resume and letter of interest to schoolboard@mukilteo.wednet.edu.

The school district encompasses Mukilteo, parts of south Everett and unincorporated parts of Snohomish County.

Simmons was the board president when the district made national headlines in January 2022 to remove “To Kill a Mockingbird” from the required reading list for ninth-grade students. The board made the unanimous decision after months of debate among district educators, students and parents. During a lengthy public comment period before the vote, nearly all speakers were in support of removing the book from required reading.

The book was not banned. It remains on the approved novels list for teachers to use.

Andrea Brown: 425-339-3443; abrown@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @reporterbrown.