As Its Schools Fail, Buckeye Elementary School District May Have Grossly Overpaid Superintendent

As Its Schools Fail, Buckeye Elementary School District May Have Grossly Overpaid Superintendent

By Terri Jo Neff |

The governing board of the Buckeye Elementary School District is coming under fire after the Arizona Auditor General discovered the superintendent of the 5,100-student district received about 100 percent more in compensation than the superintendents of Arizona’s three largest districts made on average.

Kristi Wilson became superintendent of the Buckeye District’s seven elementary schools in 2013. From July 2016 to December 2021, she received total compensation of more than $3.2 million under the terms of three employment agreements, according to a report released April 12 by Arizona Auditor General Lindsey Perry.

Of that, roughly $1.7 million is categorized as “additional compensation,” including nearly $570,000 which  Perry’s auditors believe was not owed to Wilson.  

The report also contends the District “omitted critical information” and records associated with two of the three employment agreements. The auditors expressed concern that there was a lack of transparency which “did not enable the public to monitor the District and superintendent’s performance.”

Any overpayment could constitute a violation of the Gift Clause in the Arizona Constitution, while violations of Arizona’s public records law can be prosecuted in some instances. As a result, the Auditor General’s findings have been referred to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office for investigation.

Data provided by the Auditor General shows 16 percent of the Buckeye District’s  students come from families at or below the poverty rate. And nearly 70 percent of all students qualify for free or reduced lunches.

Furthermore, four of the seven schools had a D or F grade in Fiscal Year 2019. This has resulted in the Arizona Department of Education working with District officials to create an integrated action plan to improve student achievement.

Equally concerning, according to the audit report, is that District students performed below their peer group and students statewide on State assessments in the four fiscal years ending in Fiscal Year 2019. Yet at the same time, the salary and benefits package for Wilson worked out to 54 percent more in per pupil spending for executive administration than the statewide average.

In addition, the average teacher salary in the District was $44,536, about 15 percent below the average in Arizona.

Jane Hunt, the president of the District’s governing board, responded earlier this month to Perry. Hunt did not agree with several of the audit’s findings, but Perry’s staff contends the District’s response contains “certain inaccurate or misleading statements” about the situation.

In one instance, the District contended it had agreed to pay Wilson “a retirement credit” sufficient to cover all tax liability associated it with. Such an arrangement was expressly authorized by the Arizona State Retirement System through the use of post-tax pay, Hunt responded.

But that is not what happened, according to the audit report.

“The District’s assertion that the superintendent’s retirement credits were purchased using post-tax pay is wrong,” the report notes. “ Rather, per the superintendent’s election, the District deducted and sent to the ASRS the superintendent’s retirement credit payments through pre-tax deductions.”

This is an important distinction, Perry’s staff noted, because the District’s failure to correctly apply pre-tax status when calculating Wilson’s additional compensation  led to a significant overpayment “to and on behalf of the superintendent.” And that could lead to legal problems for Wilson and the District Board.

The audit report notes that four of the District’s five current governing board members held such positions in April 2016 when the first of the employment agreements was approved to provide the superintendent with additional compensation.  

Acclaimed Twitter Account Warning Arizona Parents About Radical Leftists Suspended

Acclaimed Twitter Account Warning Arizona Parents About Radical Leftists Suspended

By Corinne Murdock |

This week, Twitter silenced another prominent conservative voice — this time, one relied on heavily by parents and older generations distant from today’s social media fads. Libs of TikTok, the social media account that offered parents insight on what the world was exposing to their children through educators and pop culture, was suspended for 12 hours on Twitter. The social media giant said that the account’s content violated rules on hateful conduct: promoting violence against, threatening, or harassing other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliatoin, age, disability, or serious disease. 

Effectively, Twitter implemented its “account-level enforcement” of “placing an account in read-only mode.” Twitter noted that it saved these account-level tactics for “particularly egregious” or repeated violations of its rules. 

The account launched in November 2020, reposting videos from the Chinese social media app TikTok in order to display a more comprehensive view of the left’s political ideology. It began to pick up more popularity last summer, jumping from under 100 likes to several hundred to thousands within months. The account owner’s identity remains anonymous, but virtual anonymous interviews revealed that the owner is female. 

According to social media analyses, Libs of Tiktok’s most-used words included, in order: teacher, students, school, parents, and kids. At the time of her suspension, she had close to 612,000 followers. The highest number of retweets achieved on one tweet revealing that a school nurse was suspended over “transphobic comments” reached over 6,000, while the highest number of likes reached over 26,000 on a clip of Fox News host Tucker Carlson praising her work.

News of the account’s suspension came from Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee: a satire news company that was banned from Twitter. The satire site’s ban occurred after it published the story, “The Babylon Bee’s Man Of The Year Is Rachel Levine,” poking fun at the current U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHS) assistant secretary of health.

As evident, the offending content of both Twitter accounts remain available. However, Twitter stipulated to The Babylon Bee that it must remove the offending tweet before it may access its account. Twitter placed no such stipulation on Libs of TikTok — the suspension functioned as a warning to moderate future content.

AZ Free News has relied on Libs of TikTok and even TikTok itself for our reporting. In October, we discovered that the teacher nominated by Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs for a national youth leadership award was pushing the vast majority of popular left-wing political ideologies in her elementary school classroom. Libs of TikTok helped notify Arizonans and the world of the three female students at Arizona State University (ASU) who harassed two fellow students for being white males with perceived conservative attire in their multicultural center.

Most recently, Libs of Tik Tok revealed an American government class at ASU telling students that state efforts to require voter ID, get rid of permanent early voting lists, restrict early voting, remove mail-in voting, and close primaries were forms of voter suppression.

Although Libs of TikTok was banned from Twitter, versions of the account exist elsewhere: Instagram, Rumble, GETTR, YouTube, and Gab.

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

Woke Teacher Becomes Arizona’s First Inductee Into National Teachers Hall of Fame

Woke Teacher Becomes Arizona’s First Inductee Into National Teachers Hall of Fame

By Corinne Murdock |

A Phoenix special education teacher, Kareem Neal, moved up in the world of honors bestowed on educators: this year, he became Arizona’s first teacher inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame. Neal, the 2019 Arizona Teacher of the Year, teaches at Maryvale High School and also works as a restorative justice trainer at Phoenix Union High School District (PXU). 

Neal would qualify as “woke” in the modern political landscape: he supports social justice efforts like anti-racism and LGBTQ+ normalization. In an August 2019 article, Neal argued that teachers must do more than teach — they must support and affirm lifestyles and community. Neal attributed that realization to the moment when he discovered Maryvale High School’s social justice club, Panthertown, having an annual “camp” with activities encouraging students to “break free of the things (race, gender, sexuality, ability, etc.) that prevent[ed] them from connecting with their peers.” Neal serves as the club’s sponsor currently. 

Neal said that experience prompted him to “break out of [his] comfort zone” of only engaging with his special education students and branch out to the other students outside his class.

“To be truly effective, teachers must do more than simply teach students. They have to become a real part of the community,” wrote Neal. “I am positive that I could not teach at a school where all of the teachers just taught lessons and went home. I need for my school and its surrounding area to be my community.”

In the wake of the George Floyd riots, Neal declared that white supremacy could exist among even “nice, white folks” if they don’t commit to anti-racism. Neal also said that teachers shouldn’t be teaching black children if they reject anti-racism.

“We need [white people] to sacrifice the privilege, comforts, and advantages that comes with whiteness to FORCE our systems to distribute power differently. We don’t need your niceties. We need your sacrifice,” said Neal. 

Neal’s remarks fit nicely with President Joe Biden’s campaign, and he was featured in an August 2020 campaign video. Neal criticized former President Donald Trump’s call to reopen schools, casting Trump as reckless and unempathetic while characterizing Biden as caring and knowledgeable. 

When the video aired, Neal bragged about how he forced Biden’s campaign to make the commercial.

For all the social justice beliefs he’s defended, Neal has denied that Critical Race Theory (CRT) is being taught in the classroom. Last August, Neal gathered with other states’ teachers of the year in a seminar discussing how CRT was misrepresented, noting that concepts like social justice and anti-racism were separate from CRT. Arizona State University (ASU) Project Humanities founding director Neal Lester organized the event. 

In an ASU panel last February dedicated to explaining “anti-racist parenting,” Neal revealed that he discusses racism with his students through skits, writing activities, and community-building circles. Neal said that everyone is racist and that America is a racist society.

Amid his frequent bouts of activism, Neal was fined and disciplined in 2018 for engaging in political activity for Invest In Education, a national progressive campaign abbreviated to #InvestInEd, on the taxpayer’s dime, as the Arizona Daily Independent reported. Neal promoted the campaign by displaying one of its signs in his classroom. His district ordered him to pay $225 and placed him on a one-day suspension without pay. 

Earlier that year, Neal also participated in a walk-in to support Red For Education, or #RedforEd, another national progressive campaign to increase teacher funding with walk-outs. Walk-ins consisted of teachers gathering early in front of schools wearing red and holding signs to signal Red for Education support. 

The fine didn’t deter Neal from engaging in political activities again, however. Last April, Neal announced that he was serving as Arizona Department of Education Superintendent Kathy Hoffman’s campaign chairman for reelection. 

In addition to teaching, Neal has undertaken other leadership roles. Neal served as a member of the Arizona Department of Education’s African American Advisory Council, director on the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS), and vice president of PXU’s Black Alliance. Neal was also entrusted with curriculum development as a PXU Peer Learning Community leader.

The Arizona educators put forth for national recognition tend to share values like Neal’s. As AZ Free News reported, Arizona Secretary of State Katie Hobbs nominated an elementary school teacher incorporating social justice and activism in her classroom for the national John Lewis Youth Leadership Award.

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

ASU College of Health Solutions Encouraged Employees to Sign BLM Pledge

ASU College of Health Solutions Encouraged Employees to Sign BLM Pledge

By Corinne Murdock |

Another social justice initiative was underfoot at Arizona State University (ASU) — this time, at the College of Health Solutions (CHS). In a September email from CHS Dean Deborah Helitzer obtained by AZ Free News, CHS encouraged employees to sign a Black Lives Matter (BLM) pledge adapted from ASU’s University Technology Office. The email noted that those who signed the pledge would have their name “added to a list of those who affirm the pledge.”

As of press time, the pledge remained available on the CHS website:

We are dedicated to creating a safe space for all perspectives, valuing all contributions, which will become embedded in our evolving culture to realize the vision, mission and values of the College of Health Solutions and the mission and charter of Arizona State University.

We will engage in continuous education, seeking new ideas and taking actions that advance racial justice and will honestly share our thinking, especially acknowledging when we don’t know or understand. We will expand our own understanding and practices by empowering diverse ideas and voices.

We will increase the diversity of the administration, faculty, staff and student populations to reflect the communities we serve.

We will maximize leadership, development and advancement opportunities for people of diverse backgrounds, abilities and perspectives to be more equitable and to ensure opportunities are available to all.

We will strive to be inclusive and equitable as we engage in teaching, research and community outreach.

We will increase our knowledge and understanding of systemic racism in health and health care which ultimately impacts health outcomes in communities of color.

We are committed to nurturing, mentoring and supporting the development of people, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, color, language, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity, education, religion, socio-economic status, qualified veteran status, age, skill sets, thinking styles and physical and mental ability.

I pledge to actively work towards dismantling racism, bigotry and hatred toward people of color in all its forms.

At the close of Helitzer’s email, she directed staff to the latest “story time” read-along link: “Curious George Rides a Bike.” 

ASU formed CHS in 2012 to improve community health and lower health care costs. The CHS pledge was one of the latest efforts by their Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Council. The council aims to artificially diversify faculty, staff, students, and community partners; weave inclusivity into onboarding, training, and mentoring of all faculty and staff; and reform curriculum to center on inclusivity.

As part of those goals, CHS keeps an update on the latest student demographics: nearly 40 percent last year were classified as “underrepresented minority status,” with nearly 49 percent classified as “white.”

Additionally, the JEDI Council offered a commitment to support Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in response to the ongoing hate crimes against those races. They also published an indigenous land acknowledgement to identify the Native American tribes that once lived on the land where ASU’s campus now exists. 

JEDI Council’s latest effort announced last Friday was “Kaleidoscope,” a newsletter on multiculturalism. 

“We believe that the multitude of identities, lived experiences and backgrounds that make up the CHS faculty, students and staff is something to be celebrated. Much like a kaleidoscope, there is beauty to be found in the different configurations of our community. We will face challenges in the struggle for a just and healthy world, so it’s more important than ever that we find ways to unite and shake things up,” read the first newsletter.

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

Tuition And Housing Hikes Announced At Arizona’s Three Public Universities

Tuition And Housing Hikes Announced At Arizona’s Three Public Universities

By Terri Jo Neff |

Tuition for the next academic school year is going up at Arizona State University for all students, while tuition hikes at the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University will hit mostly new students, according to the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR).

On Thursday, the ABOR which oversee the state’s three public universities announced higher tuitions and housing costs for residents and non-residents during the 2022-23 school year. All except the UofA will also be increasing the cost of student meal plans.

“The board recognizes any increase in tuition has an impact on Arizona students and families, but we are pleased that the presidents’ proposals included only modest added costs in 2022-23,” ABOR Chair Lyndel Manson said of the hikes. “The proposals demonstrate the joint commitment of the presidents to prioritize Arizona, access and quality while shielding resident students to the greatest extent possible from extraordinary inflationary cost pressures.”

The ABOR’s announcement means existing and new resident students at ASU will be paying 2.5 percent more than this year’s tuition. That works out to $10,978 for undergrads who are Arizona residents and $12,014 for graduate in-state resident students

ASU students who are not residents of Arizona will experience a 4 percent tuition hike, while the ABOR approved a 5 percent hike for international students at ASU. Online students registered at ASU will also notice a 2 percent increase in the cost of each credit hour.

At the UofA, resident students currently in the Guaranteed Tuition Program will not see tuitions go up, but incoming freshman and undergrads whose tuition is not guaranteed will pay $11,535 per year, a two percent increase. UofA grad students who are residents will pay $12,348, which is also up 2 percent.

Non-resident new students and non-resident existing students who are not in one of UofA’s guarantee tuition program  will see tuition rates jump 5.6 percent.  Different tuition rate increases are being implemented for the UofA’s College of Medicine and College of Veterinary Medicine students.

Meanwhile, incoming freshman and graduate students at NAU will be hit with a 3.5 percent tuition increase to $11,024 and $11,390 respectively. The rate boost applies to resident and non-resident students.

Undergraduate course fees at NAU will also be changing for the 2022-23 year. Meanwhile, international students at NAU will experience the biggest tuition hike among the three universities, with increases of 7.2 to 7.4 percent.

But that is not the only economic impact students at Arizona’s public universities will have to contend with for the 2022-23 school year.  The ABOR has upped its housing costs between 3 and 3.5 percent at all three universities.

Any students seeking to utilize a university’s meal plan will also have to fork over more money during the next school year. In addition, ABOR also boosted some mandatory student fees.

According to the ABOR, a person must be able to prove “continuous physical presence in Arizona for at least 12 months immediately preceding the semester of application” to be eligible for resident tuition.

Peoria Teacher: Elementary Students Wear Trans Pride Colors for Trans Visibility Day

Peoria Teacher: Elementary Students Wear Trans Pride Colors for Trans Visibility Day

By Corinne Murdock |

According to one Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) teacher, some elementary schoolers may have worn pink, teal, and white to honor International Transgender Day of Visibility last week. 

Coordinating educator Sarah Chunnui, a “resource teacher” for fourth and fifth graders and special education teacher at Desert Harbor Elementary School, submitted an email obtained by AZ Free News to notify staff of the unofficial holiday on March 31. A PUSD spokesperson told AZ Free News in a statement that Chunnui’s email didn’t receive approval from the Desert Harbor Elementary School principal, Becky Berhow, prior to its sending. PUSD added that Chunnui’s email didn’t say explicitly that she coordinated with students, but didn’t dismiss speculation that Chunnui may have undertaken coordination efforts.

“Hello Fabulous Staff,” began the email. “I just wanted to let you know that you may see our students wearing more pink, teal, and white today. Today is a quickly growing annual event called ‘International Transgender Day of Visibility.’ Our President is expected to make some announcements today on new legislature [sic] to protect the rights of Trans [sic] students, any [sic] many of our students have taken a keen interest in these legislative movements.”

Chunnui closed the email by encouraging staff to affirm the children of their activism.

“How can you help? If you notice a student purposefully wearing the colors of the trans flag, a simple ‘I see you’ or ‘I support you’ can go a long way. Thank you fabulous staff!” 

In the signature line, Chunnui ensured to include her pronouns: “she/her” and “they/them.” She also goes by “Mx,” a title invented by LGBTQ+ activists signifying a “gender-neutral” individual who doesn’t identify as any sex. 

In a response email submitted to the Desert Harbor Elementary School community, Berhow clarified that only staff received the email — not parents. Berhow characterized the email as Chunnui’s “personal views.”

“Today you may see a screenshot on social media of an email that was recently sent by one of our staff members regarding personal views on International Transgender Day of Visibility.  While the message may get increased attention in our community, it was important to me that you know that the email was only sent to our staff and not to students or parents,” wrote Berhow. “At Desert Harbor, we pride ourselves on using our limited resources to directly support teaching and learning. Please know that not all messages you see posted are a representation of our school or district.” 

Berhow encouraged parents to communicate with her and reach out with any questions on any matter. 

State Senator Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert) told AZ Free News that this was another example of improper educator behavior.

“No level of sexuality or lifestyle should be pushed onto little children. I don’t care if they are pushing for heterosexuality. Leave our kids alone. Teach them math, reading, and science,” said Petersen. “These actions are completely inappropriate as someone who is in a position of trust with our children.” 

Previously, Chunnui was a resource teacher for kindergarteners to second grade students at Rogers Ranch School in Laveen School District, where Minority Leader Reginald Bolding (D-Laveen) hails from. Chunnui joined Desert Harbor Elementary School in August 2019; she has been teaching for over 10 years. 

AZ Free News reached out to Desert Harbor Elementary School and PUSD for comment.

In February, Chunnui hosted a read-aloud for Desert Harbor Elementary School, in which she read a book championed by left-wing activists as a destructor of gender norms: “Pink is For Boys.”

PUSD does have Gay-Straight Alliance, also known as Gender-Sexuality Alliance, (GSA) clubs at Sunrise Mountain High School, Ironwood High School, and Raymond S. Kellis High School. GSA clubs are the product of the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN), a national organization focused on the sexuality of minors — specifically, promoting and normalizing LGBTQ+ lifestyles. The Phoenix chapter of GLSEN advised K-12 educators last December to incorporate “secret libraries” in their classrooms to advance LGBTQ+ ideology. 

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