By Matthew Holloway |
Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Governing Board member Kurt Rohrs is calling for Board President Patti Serrano to step down, accusing her of attempting to impose a land acknowledgment at board meetings and graduation ceremonies without the board’s concurrence. His proposed resolution comes as the board is scheduled to consider approving the acknowledgment at its September 9 meeting.
The district’s current agenda lists Serrano’s proposal as Item 9.01, “Possible Action to Approve CUSD Land Acknowledgement.” The proposal requests approval to include the acknowledgment at every governing board meeting and in all district graduation ceremony programs.
The proposal initially appeared as an information item on the August 19 agenda, announcing that the practice would begin September 9. According to the district’s draft minutes, board member Ryan Heap requested that it return at the next meeting as an action item.
The district’s proposal describes the acknowledgment as a “meaningful expression of respect and recognition” honoring Indigenous peoples’ sovereignty, history, and contributions. Serrano defended the practice during the August discussion.
Rohrs’ resolution alleges that Serrano attempted to introduce the acknowledgment without the board’s agreement and created division through politically motivated activity unrelated to academic performance.
In the resolution, Rohrs wrote that Serrano “has abused her authority as Board President” and “should immediately step down as Board President and be replaced by another Board Member who can faithfully carry out those duties.” The document contains no recorded vote or adoption date.
Rohrs also criticized Serrano for declining to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in the resolution. Video obtained from meeting attendees in April 2025 showed Serrano standing with her hand over her heart without reciting the pledge. The report said Serrano declined to discuss her reasons during public comment because the matter was not on the agenda and offered to follow up personally with the community member who raised it.
In his written request to remove the item, Rohrs argued that the acknowledgment would inject political and social activism into district business.
“This is an arbitrary decision that was never discussed or approved by the board,” Rohrs said during the August meeting. “There is no district policy that either requires or allows this. Land acknowledgment can be considered as a progressive socialist partisan political performance piece that has nothing to do with improving academic performance of our students.”
In his written removal request, Rohrs alleged that the acknowledgment appeared to violate provisions of A.R.S. § 15-112 and A.R.S. § 41-1494. “This statement is also divisive and promotes negative stereotypes and guilt-shaming regarding certain other ethnic groups,” he wrote.
Serrano disputed Rohrs’ contention that the acknowledgment would violate state law, arguing that the acknowledgment concerns sovereign Native nations and pointing to similar practices at Arizona’s public universities and community colleges.
The dispute also involved Rohrs’ decision to speak during public comment as a private citizen and taxpayer. The draft minutes record Serrano warning that the attorney general’s office had discouraged board members from switching roles during meetings because of potential Open Meeting Law concerns and confusion over whom they represent.
Rohrs responded that he had a right to speak and would not be intimidated into silence. Serrano said she was relaying the attorney general’s guidance and that her remarks were not intended to intimidate him, as noted in the minutes, which remain a draft pending board approval.
CUSD already maintains a “Land Acknowledgement 2025” section on its Indigenous Education Program website. The page identifies the district’s location as ancestral land of the Piipaash, Akimel O’odham, Gila River, Salt River, Pima, Maricopa, and Yaqui tribes and includes a land acknowledgment video.
Board members Barb Mozdzen and Claudia Mendoza expressed support for the acknowledgment during the August discussion, citing respect for Indigenous history, Native students, and the district’s community.
The September 9 public meeting is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. at 1525 W. Frye Road in Chandler. The action portion is tentatively scheduled for 8:20 p.m. The agenda notes that listed times are approximate.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
