A group of Rock Island residents have started a petition asking for the resignation of Rock Island School Board member Jim Bishop after he enrolled his daughter in the Pleasant Valley School District.
The change.org petition, which as of Monday, August 24 had more than 250 signatures, was posted by a group calling itself Citizens for Stronger Rock Island-Milan Schools. The group posted a goal of 500 signatures with the intention of presenting the results to the school board.
Former Rock Island-Milan teacher and Rock Island resident, Grace Diaz-Shirk, is a member of the grassroots movement.
"I think Mr. Bishop's actions tended to present that maybe, in someway, we have inferior schools to the Iowa side and I do not believe that to be true," Diaz-Shirk told News 8.
"We have no problem with him deciding to change his daughter to a different school district, that's a parent's prerogative, but we do have a problem with him sitting on the school board and sending his children elsewhere," added Diaz-Shirk.
Others who've signed the online petition commented on why they want Bishop to resign. Marji Boeye of Milan, IL wrote, "It's not personal, I simply don't want Jim Bishop making decisions on behalf of my children and their education when he was not willing to work within the system to make it better for all students."
Petitioners say they're hoping Bishop will hear their concerns and "do the right thing and step down."
Because Bishop's daughter does not lives in Illinois and not Iowa, Bishop pays a yearly tuition of $6,579, according to a Pleasant Valley spokesperson.
In 2013, Dr. Bishop was re-elected to his second four-year term on the board.
News 8 attempted to contact Bishop on Monday, August 24, but we received no comment.