Felon trustee says he will resign from SoCal school board

ap on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 1/4/06 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) - A man who won a school board seat while jailed on a parole violation says he will resign.

Randy L. Hale said Tuesday he will step down from the Romoland School District board to save the district from spending money to contest the election. Trustees in the district 70 miles north of San Diego voted last month to take steps to prevent Hale from serving.

"My goal is to help the community and help inform people about what they need to know," Hale told the Riverside Press-Enterprise in a phone call from the state prison in Corcoran, Calif. "I'm no longer the guy who beat people up or got in trouble. I'm tired of living that life. I've turned over a new leaf."

Hale, 40, finished third in the race for three school board seats in last November's election despite having returned to prison in September for failing to stay in touch with his parole officer.

He has convictions dating to the 1980s for drug possession, spousal abuse and burglary. He is scheduled to be released from prison on Feb. 15.

School board president Cindy Bohn said she's pleased with Hale's decision to resign.

"He took the gracious way out," she said.

Hale said the district hasn't seen the last of him. He said he plans to run for office again in two years.

"I have experienced some things the other candidates or trustees have not, and I can offer insight," he said.

The California Election Fraud Investigation Unit is investigating Hale because convicted felons on parole are not allowed to register to vote, which is a prerequisite for running for office.

The district can hold a special election or appoint someone to Hale's seat.

[iPod Shuffle]

Damn. It seems like he would have been a breath of fresh air compared to the usual ninnies that go on these boards.