Recall

efforts are picking up steam against two school board

members who voted to change the elementary school

attendance lines last month.

Jeffrey

Norieka is spearheading the effort against board Chairman

Mike Sumner and board member Bill Covington and has

turned in more than 100 signatures for a recall on each

to the Coweta County Probate Judge's office.

"Despite

public concerns, five Board of Education members voted

last month to redistrict our children. Today hundreds of

concerned Coweta citizens made their wishes known when

applications for recall for Mr. Michael Sumner and Mr.

Bill Covington are submitted to the county probate judge

to begin the recall proceedings," said Norieka in a

written statement to the press.

Norieka

said Sumner and Covington are being targeted based on

their leading role in the redistricting, which he says

violated the 1995 Supreme Court decision Adarand v. Pena.

"The

school board still has it within their power to reverse

their decision and develop and adopt, with public input,

a standard policy for redistricting," said Norieka's

statment.

"The

seats occupied by Mr. Harry Mullins and Mr. Rick Melville

are up for reelection in July and the citizens will

replace them at that time. Recall proceedings for Ms.

Smith Pass will be addressed at a later date," he

said.

Norieka has

been pleased with the support he has received from

parents and said the next step in the process is for the

probate judge to certify the signatures.

After the

signatures are certified, Norieka's group then would have

to garner signatures of 30 percent of the voters in each

member's district to stage a recall election.

"The

recall process is a shining example of voter power and

concern for the children of Coweta County," said

Norieka's statement.

"Those

pursuing the recall effort express their appreciation for

the overwhelming support by the communities and invite

all concerned citizens to join in continuing this

process."

Norieka

said he expects an election for recall to be called

before November if he gets enough signatures on the

petition.