School board member steps down — just not the one accused

STANWOOD — Board member Chad Lewis resigned Wednesday morning after a tense meeting where angry parents confronted Stanwood-Camano School Board members over questionable campaign tactics.

“I very much enjoyed working with the parents, students, teachers and staff of the Stanwood-Camano School District, but it’s time now for me to step aside,” Lewis said Thursday. “I wasn’t comfortable with the process. No further comment.”

He sent his resignation letter just over an hour after a special meeting on the allegations. Lewis had two weeks left in his term.

He was appointed to the board in August 2018 to complete the term of Roger Myers, according to the district website. He is a retired educator, management consultant and textbook author who lives on Camano Island.

Last week, district parents called out school board president Al Schreiber for endorsing a board candidate who has withdrawn from the Nov. 5 election.

In July, Keith Pappas dropped out of the race to represent District 2 on the board because his father was diagnosed with cancer. But it was too late to take his name off the ballot.

His statement in the voter’s pamphlet, which was mailed out to those in the district, reads “Due to unforeseen circumstances I will not be running for this position.”

District critics believe Schreiber intended to sway the vote to give the board a chance to appoint its own pick.

District Superintendent Jean Shumate has not responded to The Daily Herald’s request to comment on the situation.

At the Wednesday meeting, the crowd demanded that Schreiber step down and for a third party to investigate whether state and district policies were broken. Schreiber said nothing.

He has also not responded to repeated Herald requests for comment.

Julia-Grace Sanders: 425-339-3439; jgsanders@heraldnet.com.