Controversies
Desert Vista High School has been at the center of several controversies since its opening that have garnered local, national, and even international media attention.
Allegations of records falsification
In 2001, the school's registrar at the time, Jane Jones, accused then principal Joe McDonald of approaching three teachers at the schools to change the grades for a student-athlete who was being recruited, but was ineligible to compete at a Division I school. [15] McDonald allegedly approached the teachers after being asked by then-Tempe Union High School District Superintendent James Buchanan to see what can be done to help the student. [15] School district administrators admitted four years later, in 2005, that grades were changed for the softball student-athlete two months after her graduation, after which she was cleared by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to play at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. [16]
In 2002, Jones was given her first negative evaluation of her career, and was subsequently fired on McDonald's recommendation. [17] Following her termination, Jones filed a wrongful termination lawsuit under the state's whistleblower protection law, alleging that she was fired because McDonald said she was "not a team player." [18] Subsequently, Jones claimed the school district officials also engaged in retaliation following her dismissal by claiming she was not eligible for rehiring to an investigator working for a California-based reference checking company, thus allegedly implying she has committed wrongdoing. Arizona school districts have no power to determine rehire eligibility, as only the state's Board of Education has the authority to suspend or revoke a person's teaching credentials. [19] A $140,000 settlement between the district and Jones was approved by a judge in 2006. [20]
Alleged preferential treatment of student-athletes
In 2004, the school's basketball program came under scrutiny as school records showed that a player did not attend 247 classes during the first three-quarters of the 2003–04 school year, yet remained eligible for varsity team. [21] In the same report the East Valley Tribune reported that a former school varsity football player claimed he was paid by the school district to tutor other student athletes on the team, and in the case of one football player he helped tutor, Snow claims he did 70% to 80% of the work for the player, in an arrangement made to ensure the player remains eligible for football. [21]
District officials say while the district has a peer tutor program, the district does not pay tutors. The East Valley Tribune, however, claims that the student's allegations were confirmed by two other sources, which were not identified by name. [21] He would later clarify his statement to the East Valley Tribune, and the district would later investigate the basketball player's absences. [22]
Allegations of racial harassment
In 2005, security guard Loretta Avent filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against McDonald, accusing him of retaliation after she coordinated a meeting that exposed Native American students' claims of harassment by students, in addition to unfair treatment by teachers. [23] During that meeting, which took place in April, 36 parents, students and tribal leaders with the Gila River Indian Community met with school and district leaders to talk about allegations of racial discrimination and harassment, including claims of racial profiling, being called "savages", and inaction by teachers to rectify the problems. [24]
After the aforementioned meeting, which took place in April, Tempe Union High School District received a letter from four women, demanding an investigation into allegations of racial bias against the school's African American students, including unfair grading practices and a student assault, among other claims. [25]
Closed door mediation sessions were later held with school district officials, school administrators, Gila River Indian Community Lt. Gov. Mary Thomas, and US Attorney Paul Charlton, which resulted in sensitivity training for faculty and the creation of a Native American Club on campus. [23] [25]
Allegations of sexual harassment involving staff member
In 2005, reports surfaced that the school's former football coach, Jim Rattay, was accused by female students of engaging in unprofessional conduct. [26]
According to a report compiled by district officials, Rattay, in one incident, asked a 14-year-old female student to walk to the front of the class, and read, out loud, passages from a pamphlet about teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Rattay claimed to the class that he had seen the girl's name in the boys' bathroom. [26] The girl, who was not identified, claimed that Rattay made false claims that she had white marks on her lips or chin, after she read a passage from the pamphlet about herpes, after which the students interpreted the comment to mean that the girl in question either engaged on oral sex or had herpes. The girl also claimed that Rattay made another false comment about her promiscuity as she sat down. [26]
School district officials, in their report, claimed that an investigation of Rattay found "insufficient evidence" to support allegations of sexual harassment. [26]
In a separate, unrelated complaint, Rattay was accused of calling another female student "ugly", and making other comments about her appearance. [26] The school district did not reveal details of the disciplinary actions taken. [26]
In 2017, similar accusations were made against Timothy Snyder by multiple female students. The school decided against initiating an investigation. [26]
In 2014, former teacher Cicely D. Cobb sued the school district and then principal Anna Battle, alleging a number of racially motivated incidents, some of which targeted African Americans at the school, had taken place. [27] Cobb accused school administration of inaction, following a significant number of incidents. [28]
Seniors spell out racial slur with shirts
In 2016, the school made headlines over an incident that took place after a panoramic picture session for the graduating seniors. The students wore shirts which together spelled out "BEST*YOU'VE*EVER*SEEN*CLASS*OF*2016", but a separate picture was taken of six female students, who arranged the shirts in such a way that it spelled out the racial slur nigger, with the two "G"s in the middle replaced with the asterisks. [29] The picture of the students quickly spread over social media and garnered a significant backlash, and the incident received national attention. [30] [31]
The incident reportedly sparked confrontations on campus. One incident, which involved a student trying to stop another student from being interviewed by a television reporter with Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV, was captured on camera. [32] Subsequent protests related to the controversy also saw counter-protesters who, according to at least one account, used the word "nigger" against the protesters, while calling on them to "stay on their side of the mountain". [33]
The incident was thrust back into the media-cycle when the school's yearbook contained an article. Ultimately DVHS offered two yearbooks, one with subsequent article and the other with the corresponding pages glued together. [34] [35]
In 2018, The Phoenix Police Department announced that a social media threat had been made towards Desert Vista High School. The threat featured a picture of a rifle, which was later found to be copied and pasted from the website of a gun store. It was later determined that the threat had come from outside of the United States, nor was the account created by a Desert Vista student. The school continued to operate normally throughout the day, although some police officers were placed on campus. Desert Vista administrators respectfully asked parents to not visit the school to take their students out of class, as it could pose a further safety risk to students and faculty. [36]
Mexican border senior prank
In 2019, the school once again found itself at the center of a racism controversy, after a tweet made by a Twitter account titled "Desert Vista Senior Prank" implied that graduating seniors will pretend the front gate to the high school is the border into Mexico, [37] with "cops searching cars, window washers, and people selling tortillas." [38] School district officials distanced themselves from the tweet, and said the prank will not take place. [38] In addition, a notice was sent to parents that called the tweets "insensitive and thoughtless and absolutely unacceptable." [37]
Teacher arrested for online threats
In 2024, a newly hired teacher was arrested by Tempe police after posting multiple online threats against Donald Trump, Jr. and Charlie Kirk, founder of right-wing nonprofit Turning Point USA, who were in Tempe for a political rally. The teacher had replied multiple times with threatening messages to an automated mass-messaging system asking for an RSVP to the Turning Point rally at a Tempe hotel, and was subsequently placed on administrative leave by TUHSD. [39] The teacher allegedly admitted to sending the threatening messages, and is facing misdemeanor charges. [40] The district released an official statement stating that it "does not tolerate or condone any form of threats or harassment made by employees or students." [39]
