Ben Owens and Shante Rothchild sworn in to Maricopa Unified School District board

Ben Owens and Shante Rothchild were sworn in as governing board members of the Maricopa Unified School District during a brief ceremony in which Board President Robert Downey presided.

The ceremony opened with a welcome and an introduction of Robert Downey as the presiding officer. Downey then invited Owens to take the oath. Owens repeated: “I, Ben Owens, do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution and laws of the State of Arizona, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same and defend them against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge the duties of the office of governing board member for the Maricopa Unified School District according to the best of my abilities, so help me God.” Attendees applauded after the oath.

The presiding officer noted Owens had set a strong example and invited the next newly elected member to proceed. Shante Rothchild then repeated the oath, pledging to support the U.S. Constitution and Arizona law and to impartially discharge the duties of a governing board member for the Maricopa Unified School District. The transcript records applause following Rothchild’s oath and indicates the ceremony continued with additional remarks that are incomplete in the available transcript.

Robert Downey was identified in the ceremony as the governing board president and acted as the officiant for the oaths. No formal votes or policy actions were recorded in the provided transcript; the recorded proceedings concern the administration of oaths to newly elected board members.