Week in Review : MAJOR EVENTS, IMAGES AND PEOPLE IN ORANGE COUNTY NEWS : CITIES : Coach’s Return Sparks Recall Effort in Laguna

Cedrick Hardman may be back coaching at Laguna High, but the four school board members who allowed him to return may be on their way out, if Citizens United for Responsible Education (CURE) gets its way.

CURE served four of the five district trustees Tuesday night with notices of a recall attempt.

The papers do not mention Hardman, arrested in September on suspicion of cocaine possession, who has returned as a volunteer coach. But Harry Bithell, the only board member to vote against Hardman’s return, was not targeted for recall.

The documents accuse the other four, Susan Mas, Charlene Ragatz, Carl Schwarz and Janet Vickers, with mismanagement.

CURE was formed after the board last month voted to continue Hardman’s suspension from his paid coaching job but to allow him to return as an unofficial football coach. Some parents expressed outrage at the board’s move, saying that it set a bad example for students.

The board members now have until Tuesday to file formal responses that will go on the recall petitions. To proceed with the recall of four board members, petitioners will need 3,515 registered voters to sign within 120 days.