With public concern growing, LB Chamber Chairman Matt Kinley called for the resignation of Michael Ellis Tuesday during a school board meeting, citing his recent meeting absences and run-ins with the law that include dodging child support responsibilities, and driving under the influence.
“It is a shame, given the facts, that Mr. Ellis continues to serve as a member of this board,” read Kinley’s statement.
The School Board cannot remove Ellis from his position, and Kinley only asks that they announce a formal request for his resignation at the next meeting.
“If necessary,” Kinley went on, “the Chamber will join community partners and immediately initiate the process to recall Mr. Ellis by a vote of the people.”
The following is the full text of Kinley’s statement:
Good evening.
My name is Matt Kinley and I am Chairman of the Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
The business community plays an important role in our school district by supporting our young people and their transition into their careers. Long Beach enterprises also depend on the school district to train our youth so they are ready to participate in the Long Beach economy.
As a parent with children in our school system, a taxpayer and as the managing partner of a local law firm I am proud of our school district and applaud you for your work.
As chairman of the Chamber and as a leader in our business community it is my responsibility to communicate a serious and dire concern.
The Chamber joins a large and growing group of people who are concerned about the unethical conduct of your colleague, Michael Ellis.
It is a shame, given the facts, that Mr. Ellis continues to serve as a member of this board.
Mr. Ellis is disqualified to serve on the school board for the following reasons:
Mr. Ellis has missed five of the last six closed sessions of this board and been absent from the last two open session board meetings.
On August 2, Mr. Ellis pleaded guilty to driving a vehicle in Orange County while having a blood alcohol level of .15, twice the state’s legal limit.
On July 6, the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing suspended Mr. Ellis’s teaching credential in an effort to enforce his child support obligations.
In April, Mr. Ellis pleaded not guilty to a drunk driving charge stemming from an incident where Seal Beach police on February 18 found him asleep at the wheel in his car while in the middle of an intersection. Mr. Ellis later changed his plea to guilty.
On February 9, Mr. Ellis was convicted in the Los Angeles Superior Court for a misdemeanor for being an unlicensed driver.
On December 21, 2006, in a Torrance Superior Court, Mr. Ellis pleaded no contest to driving with a suspended license after being involved in a hit and run. The hit and run happened on October 14, 2006 at 12:45am and Mr. Ellis was seen running away from the scene.
On November 2, 1995, Mr. Ellis was convicted in Los Angeles Superior Court of a misdemeanor for driving with a suspended license.
The Chamber believes this record shows serious lapses of judgment.
Let me ask you an important question:
Would you trust Mr. Ellis with your children?
If not, how can we trust him with 88,000 of them?
Therefore, the Chamber respectfully requests the following:
The Board of Education set for the agenda at its next meeting, a call for a vote asking Mr. Ellis to resign, effective immediately.
Knowing that a vote of that kind is ceremonial and that you have no authority to remove Mr. Ellis, the chamber asks that you initiate the process of quo warranto to review the registration requirements and determine if Mr. Ellis was legally eligible to run for the School Board.
Finally, Mr. President, if necessary, the Chamber will join community partners and immediately initiate the process to recall Mr. Ellis by a vote of the people.
Mr. President, thank you for your time and consideration.