KANSAS CITY, KAN. ? A board member of a school district that became embroiled in a plagiarism controversy was narrowly defeated in a recall election.

After a count of provisional ballots Friday, official returns showed 1,279 votes to recall Piper school district board member Chris McCord, with 1,270 opposed.

The recall effort against board members McCord and James Swanson came on the heels of national attention the board received early this year after it refused to support former biology teacher Christine Pelton.

McCord was chairman of the Piper school board in December 2001 when Pelton, believing that 25 of her students had plagiarized some work, planned to give them failing grades on the assignment :quot; until then-Supt. Michael Rooney ordered her to change the grades.

Rooney had suggested the grading change during an executive session of the board. Only board member Leigh Vader objected.

Pelton resigned, Rooney eventually was placed on administrative leave and a parents’ group went after Swanson, McCord and a third board member, who quit rather than face the recall drive.

Swanson survived the recall effort with 1,218 votes in favor of recall and 1,350 opposed.

In unofficial results from Tuesday’s election, McCord survived the recall question by three votes. Those results did not include provisional ballots that were counted Friday.