Coeur d’Alene school trustee resigns following arrest
A Coeur d’Alene Public Schools trustee resigned Wednesday after police arrested her on suspicion of driving under the influence and possessing drug paraphernalia early Sunday.
Allison “Allie” Anderton, 44, was elected to the school board in 2021. Her term expires in December.
A Post Falls Police officer pulled Anderton over because she had a tail light out, but quickly suspected she was intoxicated when she struggled to find her driver’s license and had slurred speech, according to court documents.
The officer did several sobriety tests before placing Anderton under arrest. The officer searched Anderton and found a piece of burnt tinfoil in her jacket pocket along with a dollar bill that had a white powder residue on it, according to court documents.
The officer asked Anderton what the tinfoil was used for and Anderton said it was used to smoke cocaine, according to court documents. The officer searched Anderton’s vehicle and found two similar pieces of burnt tinfoil.
The Coeur d’Alene Board of Trustees announced Wednesday that Anderton had submitted a letter of resignation.
“The Trustees thank Trustee Anderton for her service and dedication to our students and District 271,” the trustees’ statement reads.
In her resignation letter, which EdNews obtained through a public records request, Anderton said that “regardless of the outcome of the situation,” the image of the board and district has been “burdened” and the best solution was to resign.
“In no way has anything that has challenged my personal life impacted the decisions or dedication I have made on and to the Board, and I believe you all known and understand that,” Anderton wrote. “We have together worked to create an amazing team, and I am heartbroken that this situation will impact the momentum we worked so hard to create together.”
The trustees plan to declare a vacancy and discuss the selection process for a replacement trustee at their next board meeting May 12.
Anderton previously pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in 2002 and 2007, an issue she addressed during her initial campaign, according to the Coeur d’Alene Press.
“My past is by no means a secret,” Anderton told the Press. “As a teen, I endured traumatic abuse that took me several years to learn and develop healthy coping skills to overcome. I did make mistakes during that time that I am not proud of.
“Since then, I have found healing through my faith and made peace with my past. I am now a mature and healthy adult who has learned invaluable lessons from my past mistakes.”
Anderton was elected in 2021 with the support of the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. She ousted Lisa May, who had served on the board since 2017, according to The Spokesman-Review.
During her run for the school board, Anderton raised concerns that while critical race theory wasn’t taught in Coeur d’Alene schools, social emotional learning policies and the district’s equity framework were tied to CRT, according to the Coeur d’Alene Press.
After her election, there was a brief concern over Anderton’s residency status after an allegation that she had moved to Post Falls. Anderton, who was going through a divorce at the time, said her legal residence remained in the correct area and that she intended to return to her home after the divorce was finalized but was temporarily living with family in Post Falls.