A longtime member of the Nebraska Board of Education has announced her resignation from the board, citing undisclosed health reasons.

State officials announced last Friday that Patricia Timm, 74, of Beatrice, is leaving the board after 17 years. Timm was first appointed to represent a large southeastern segment of the state in 2004 by then-Gov. Mike Johanns.

Since then, she has twice served as board president. Before joining the state board, Timm had served on the Beatrice School Board for 16 years. She is a retired kindergarten and art teacher.

Gov. Pete Ricketts will appoint a board member to represent District 5 for the remainder of Timm’s term through January 2023.

Last month, the board halted its plans for new health education standards after criticism from some parents and conservative family-values groups that the content of the non-binding recommendations was sexually inappropriate.

The board voted 5-1 to indefinitely postpone the standards. Timm didn’t vote because she was absent from the meeting, according to news reports.