Buckeye school board appoints new president during contentious meeting [Video]

BUCKEYE, AZ (AZFamily) — The governing board of the Liberty Elementary School District appointed a new board president Monday in a meeting that had to be briefly adjourned because of shouts from the audience.

Governing Board Vice President Bryan Parks was elevated to president, filling a vacancy created when the previous president, Michael Todd, resigned in protest last month.

Todd said in a social media post he resigned out of frustration with the district’s handling of a student-on-student assault at one campus and false threats at another.

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At Monday’s meeting, several former teachers said safety concerns were just the latest in a long-simmering conflict with district leadership.

Most speakers criticized Parks, Todd and Superintendent Dr. Cort Monroe for creating what they call a hostile environment in which district leaders have tried to force out critics. Two speakers expressed support for the board, drawing …