Idaho Schools Chief Says She Won’t Quit Fox Feels Compelled To Defend Herself Amid Mounting Recall Effort

Embattled state Schools Superintendent Anne Fox publicly declared Wednesday she will not resign in the face of a recall effort being organized by her critics.

In a curious statement, Fox said she “will not resign her position despite the recall rumor.”

“I will continue to move ahead despite the recall rumor and know that my supporters trust my abilities,” the statement said.

The five-paragraph statement apparently was issued in response to a report earlier in the week that the recall campaign launched in Pocatello by Carole Wells was spreading westward and would be led in southwestern Idaho by political activist Phil Summa.

Summa said recall advocates would use April to educate voters about Fox’s troubled three-month administration before embarking on a 60-day drive to collect the 125,000 registered voters’ signatures needed to force a recall vote. Even then, Fox would retain her office if fewer than 227,000 people voted to oust her.

Admitting recall is all but impossible, Summa said he hopes the campaign would prompt Fox to resign or at least alter her behavior.

Fox complained that there is no record of Summa trying to contact the state Department of Education to express his dissatisfaction with specific aspects of her performance.

“I would like to see my critics voice their concerns to me directly so I can defend my position and be given the chance to discuss the concerns they may have,” Fox said in the statement.

Fox said she is “serious about her job and is moving forward accomplishing many of the goals her administration has set out to achieve.”

Since taking office Jan. 2, Fox has dismissed or seen quit key finance employees in the department, has fired two of her own top aides because of their questionable pasts, has been criticized for seemingly extravagant office expenditures and has angered key legislators.