By Corinne Murdock |

A Mesa High School teacher was placed on leave following an allegation that he dressed up as the devil and chanted “Hail Satan” over his students on Wednesday.

Math teacher Jesse Ruiz, donned in a red shirt and devil horns, allegedly held a pitchfork over his students’ heads and said “Hail Satan.” One student who reportedly took offense to the behavior asked for Ruiz to stop, but Ruiz reportedly refused. 

That student’s father, Chris Hamlet — a former Mesa School Board candidate — posted a picture of the incident on X (formerly Twitter). 

In a complaint filed with MPS, Hamlet said that Ruiz held the pitchfork over his son’s head and repeated “Hail Satan” even after his son pushed away the pitchfork and asked for the behavior to stop. Hamlet further claimed that Ruiz also “pointed the pitchfork” in his son’s face.

Hamlet also reported that his son also previously endured “an inappropriate conversation” with Ruiz in which the teacher accused his son of homophobia.

“My CHRISTIAN son told [Ruiz] several times not to do that to him and even attempted to push the pitchfork away from his head, but this teacher continued on and did it anyways,” said Hamlet. “This teacher also had an inappropriate conversation with my son and another student a few weeks back and called my son homophobic, because this teacher, is in fact, a homosexual.”

AZ Free News reached out to Mesa Public Schools (MPS) about the matter. A spokesperson informed us that MPS Human Resources began an investigation on Thursday morning after receiving notification of the incident on Wednesday evening. They also informed us that Ruiz was placed on paid administrative leave pending the result of their investigation. 

We also reached out to Ruiz for comment on the matter. He didn’t respond by press time. 

Ruiz was honored last year as a Pay Tribute to a Teacher winner for KTAR News, earning a $2,500 prize for his creativity in facilitating student learning at his former MPS school, Skyline High School.

“[S]preading the word of physics and math, you know, I know it’s not everyone’s favorite subject, but I love it so much,” said Ruiz. “I think my bubbly personality kind of helps with that.”

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.