Controversy is brewing in the Phoenix Union High School District as a petition circulates demanding the resignation of board member Jeremiah Cota, the unrest follows a photo he shared attending a "Republicans for National Renewal" event, a group known for its populist-nationalist views, which critics label as akin to neo-Nazi ideology and as PXU English teacher Carrie Deahl stated to FOX 10, "Students can’t learn and teachers can’t teach when we don’t feel safe."
In parallel, over in Scottsdale, calls for school board member and State Senator Carine Werner to step down are intensifying after accusations surfaced regarding demeaning comments she made about a district employee's weight during an August meeting accusations were corroborated by parents and students who claimed Werner called the employee "morbidly obese," during the incident captured on a hot microphone, with more than 1,500 people signing a petition seeking her resignation and protests intensifying outside of school board meetings as parents and students show their displeasure by carrying signs like: "The district doesn’t need bullies," as reported by 12News.
The Phoenix board president Francisco Pastor-Rivera, speaking in his capacity as a teacher, expressed concern over Cota's actions, suggesting they do not represent the community's values; Cota, having been appointed to the board in summer 2025, has yet to respond to the petition and mounting backlash over the photograph and his attendance at the event which the district has taken pains to distance itself from, a district spokesperson assured that they do not promote or condone hate in any form.
Amidst this local political turmoil, the Scottsdale Unified School District (SUSD) finds itself similarly enmeshed with Werner's alleged comments, which were brought to light not just on social media but in a public display of community outcry, that was punctuated with a quote-poster bearing Werner's image and the problematic words, ignominious signage reflecting the community's anger at the lack of remorse shown by Werner, with governing board vice president Mike Sharkey stating, "I did ask our legal counsel about our ability to censure a board member, I was informed that is not an option for school boards," during a September 9 meeting, yet it remains to be seen if these collective voices will yield any real change in board composition in either district.
