Ojai Unified Board President Rebecca Chandler, Vice President Shelly Griffen resign

Ojai Unified School District Board President Rebecca Chandler and Vice President Shelly Griffen have resigned, the latest in a string of high-profile departures from the embattled district.

The resignations follow the ouster of four-year Superintendent Tiffany Morse two weeks ago and the Sunday departure of interim replacement, Penelope DeLeon, four days after trustees appointed her to the role.

Chandler, who had represented Trustee Area 2 for two years, and Griffen, the Area 4 representative for six years, leave the five-seat board without its two longest-tenured members. Trustees Phil Moncharsh, Jim Halverson and Atticus Reyes took office in December.

The district has battled to stave off fiscal insolvency in recent months, approving closures to two schools and dozens of layoffs amid a series of bad budget reviews and audits.

More: State fiscal review finds 'high risk' of insolvency in Ojai Unified School District

Acting Superintendent Sherril Knox announced the latest resignations in a districtwide message Monday night, saying Griffen's resignation took effect Monday and Chandler's on Tuesday.

Knox wrote that the remaining board would be tasked with filling the vacancies and would start the process at the district's April 6 board meeting.

Chandler said the resignations were "parallel," though not directly connected. She decided to leave, she said, because of what she called "hateful rhetoric" and "bullying."

"There are lot of people reading false information on social media and just being cruel," she said Tuesday morning. "I felt like it wasn't productive for me to be there any more."

Chandler said her departure was not triggered by DeLeon's withdrawal but a separate incident she was uncomfortable discussing.

Griffen declined an interview request via email.

Philip Bagley, a parent of three district students and one of the organizers behind an effort to recall Chandler from office, said canvassers had redoubled their efforts to gather signatures over the weekend before her resignation was announced.

They'd gathered at least a quarter of the 725 signatures needed not counting some weekend signatures that hadn't been tallied, according to Bagley.

"I think it's appropriate that she resigned," he said. "I'm happy that the district isn't forced to pay the cost of a recall."

Bagley said he was "sensitive" to bullying and had tried to focus the recall on Chandler's performance.

In a later text, he described the recall effort as an "exercise of power against a board president who showed that she was not listening or responding to the concerns of the community."

But with two planned school closures, dozens of layoffs looming, a recent budget certified negative and the board whittled down to three novice members, Bagley said he was far from confident that the troubles are over.

"We're stepping on rake after rake, it feels like," he said. "Just smacking us in the face."

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the days the resignations were received.

Isaiah Murtaugh covers education for the Ventura County Star in partnership with Report for America. Reach him at isaiah.murtaugh@vcstar.com or 805-437-0236 and follow him on Twitter @isaiahmurtaugh and @vcsschools. You can support this work with a tax-deductible donation to Report for America.

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ojai Unified school board president, vice president resign