by Staff Reporter | May 13, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne expressed concern publicly that Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) leadership is failing in its response to student sexual abuse.
The head of Arizona schools said he was concerned with a lack of transparency within PUSD.
Horne also indicated worry over the recent leadership changes at PUSD amid investigations that follow sexual abuse charges against two Centennial High School teachers, Haley Beck and Angela Burlaka.
Three of the five governing board members voted to remove Heather Rooks from the presidency in a special meeting last week for asking the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) to join an internal investigation of alleged mandatory reporting failures concerning Beck.
The board had voted against bringing the MCAO on in an earlier meeting. Rooks and board member Janelle Bowles voted against replacing Rooks with board member Jeff Tobey.
Arizona law mandates school personnel report to law enforcement, the Department of Child Safety, and the State Board of Education when they have reason to believe that a minor has experienced intentional abuse, neglect, or physical injury.
Unlike the PUSD governing board, the state’s schools chief issued open support for Rooks.
“Horne agrees with Rooks that full reporting is legally required,” stated an Arizona Department of Education press release. “Also, reports are to be made immediately, and reporting to a supervisor or administrator is not sufficient. Failure to comply is a Class I misdemeanor for child abuse or neglect and a Class 6 felony for not reporting a reportable offense.”
Following her ouster from the presidency, Rooks offered details on the alleged mandated reporting failures in an interview with “The Conservative Circus.” Rooks shared an allegation that Centennial High School’s principal sat on reports which accused Beck of grooming and other inappropriate behaviors with a male student.
Rooks voiced feelings of shame for the board’s behavior in a statement issued after last week’s special meeting. Rooks said she had a responsibility to secure an investigation into alleged mandated reporting failures.
Horne stressed in a press release that Arizona has “zero tolerance” for failing on mandated reporting.
“I am deeply concerned about the events occurring on the Peoria district board. It is absolutely crucial that every school be transparent with the public about what happens in schools,” said Horne. “There should be zero tolerance for people who don’t live up to their duty to report misconduct. In recent months, the State Board of Education, where I am a voting member, has disciplined educators for that kind of failure.”
Beyond the problems at PUSD, Horne said he’s observed a rising trend of school employees maltreating children.
“There seems to be a terrible trend of school employees being accused of egregious breaches of conduct, including sexual activities with children. This is completely unacceptable and schools must do everything possible to ensure the safety of children,” said Horne. “The exploitation of a child by anyone, but especially an educator or other school employee, is an unfathomable breach of trust and cannot be tolerated.”
Horne included a reminder in his press release that the State Board of Education retains jurisdiction over disciplinary matters concerning educators and school personnel, while hiring decisions remain under the purview of local districts or charters.
Anyone with information about grooming or sexual abuse of students within PUSD are encouraged to contact Peoria Police Department investigators at their tip line: 623-773-8132.
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by Matthew Holloway | May 13, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Democratic infighting is escalating in Arizona’s First Congressional District race after former state lawmaker Amish Shah publicly criticized the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) over its involvement in the primary contest.
During a televised interview this week, Shah accused national Democratic leaders of interfering in the race despite prior assurances that the primary would remain open and competitive.
“We had been told multiple times there was not going to be any interference,” Shah told 12News’ Brahm Resnick on Sunday, criticizing what he described as “hubris” from national party officials.
The dispute follows the DCCC’s recent endorsement of Democrat Marlene Galán-Woods in Arizona’s First Congressional District, a seat currently held by Republican Congressman David Schweikert. The district is expected to be one of the nation’s top battlegrounds in the 2026 midterm elections.
Galán-Woods has already faced early controversy tied to her campaign’s use of Findraiser, an artificial intelligence-based fundraising company tied to embattled former California Congressman Eric Swalwell. The California Democrat resigned from Congress earlier this year and suspended his gubernatorial campaign following multiple allegations of sexual misconduct and sexual assault, which he has denied.
The endorsement was viewed by some Arizona Democrats as the national party “playing favorites” in a contested primary race. Shah previously won the Democratic nomination in the district in 2024 before losing to Schweikert in the general election.
Shah also criticized Galán-Woods directly during the interview, arguing that she had previously worked “to defeat Obama in two different elections,” a reference to her past political activity before becoming a Democratic candidate.
The DCCC endorsement has reportedly intensified tensions among Democratic activists and consultants in Arizona. Following the endorsement, Democratic consultant Stacey Pearson of Lumen Strategies compared the move to the “Sports Illustrated cover curse,” suggesting the backing could politically damage Galán-Woods rather than strengthen her candidacy.
Shah additionally acknowledged broader dissatisfaction among Democratic voters with national party leadership.
“Democratic voters right now, when they’re talking to me, aren’t exactly happy with the Democratic establishment,” Shah said during the interview.
The endorsement of Galán-Woods is part of the DCCC’s broader national effort to shape competitive House races through its “Red to Blue” program, which provides select candidates with fundraising and organizational support. The committee identified Galán-Woods as one of its preferred candidates in its effort to reclaim control of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The controversy in Arizona mirrors broader tensions within Democratic politics nationwide, as progressive groups and some party activists increasingly criticize the DCCC’s involvement in contested primaries. According to Axios, some progressive-aligned Democrats and Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC leaders have argued that primary voters, rather than national party organizations, should determine Democratic nominees in competitive races.
Supporters of Galán-Woods have argued that she enters the race with significant institutional support, including backing from the Arizona AFL-CIO and national Democratic organizations. Polling circulated by CHC BOLD PAC showed Galán-Woods leading in a hypothetical matchup with Republican candidate Gina Swoboda.
Swoboda, however, reportedly abandoned her congressional race and filed a statement of interest for the Secretary of State’s race in February. The polling from CHC BOLD PAC did not address former Arizona Rep. Joseph Chaplik or Trump-endorsed candidate Jay Feely, who led District 1 primary polling from NextGen Polling in April with 24 percent and 15 percent, respectively.
Shah’s campaign, meanwhile, has pointed to a February local independent poll from HighGround Public Affairs Consultants showing him leading in the race with 32.6 percent support, while Galán-Woods trailed by more than twenty-one points.
In a statement released following Shah’s comments, National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesman Ben Petersen criticized Democratic leadership for intervening in the Arizona race.
“D.C. Democrat elites’ ham-fisted interference blew up spectacularly,” Petersen said. “When Democrats are this busy destroying each other, they’re proving they’re far too liberal and too chaotic to represent Arizonans.”
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.
by Staff Reporter | May 13, 2026 | News
By Staff Reporter |
A court rejected Republican State Rep. Rachel Keshel’s (R-LD17) attempt to stop an anonymous X user behind a months-long online campaign challenging her Legislative District 17 residency.
Keshel and her husband, Seth Keshel, claimed in a complaint that the anonymous online researcher operating under the name “William Coffin” (@CoffinItUp), is a Scottsdale horse trainer named Geoff Coffin. Coffin has denied being behind the account.
On Monday, the Pima County Superior Court dismissed last month’s injunction against harassment targeting the anonymous user. The court determined that the Keshels failed to prove that Coffin and Coffin were one and the same.
The anonymous “Coffin” profile dates back to 2020; the profile picture features William Sloane Coffin Sr., a New York businessman whom the anonymous user identified as an ancestor in an Arizona Agenda interview last month.
The Keshels alleged the connection between the two Coffins by comparing photos and an online map posted by the influencer to the location of Geoff’s home.
The anonymous user behind the X account told the Tucson Agenda that he lives in the Phoenix metro area.
The pseudonymous X account gained a following online through his commentary and analysis of public records on right-wing figures. Much of the anonymous account’s posts in its early years of existence focused on criticizing President Donald Trump.
One of the account’s earliest posts to gain some traction contained a tip claiming top right-wing influencer Dominick McGee — known as “Dom Lucre” online — was under investigation by the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance for operating an unlicensed credit repair business called Credit Cadabra.
Over the last year, the account gained traction for his posts on perennial Texas candidate Valentina Gomez.
In recent months, the account has focused on Rep. Keshel’s residency—specifically, alleging that Keshel does not reside within LD17 but instead in the Vail residence in LD19 where her husband owns property.
The individual behind William Coffin also briefly maintained a Substack called “Corruption Duck.”
In the interview last month with the Arizona Agenda, the X user said that prior to focusing his research on Republicans and influential right-wingers, he focused on mortgage fraud.
“[I] started looking at mortgage fraud, and found that I could basically throw a dart in my neighborhood and hit (someone committing) mortgage fraud,” said the user. “It’s basically people buying houses with principal residence mortgages and renting them out the next day as investment properties.”
The Corruption Duck Substack, active from January to December 2023, was created initially with an intent for the author, “Will,” to focus on corruption and fraud in the nonprofit realm.
For the first few months of its existence, however, the Substack focused on investigating and reporting mortgage fraud in the Valley to authorities.
In mid-May 2023, the Substack pivoted to publishing exposes about Republicans and right-wingers, first posting about Dom Lucre and then another Arizona native and holistic medicine influencer Razi Berry (@BerryRazi on X).
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Staff Reporter | May 12, 2026 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
Arizona State University is encouraging freshmen to take courses on LGBTQ+ identity and witchcraft, which some are criticizing as “woke” content that undermines rather than contributes to academia.
ASU offers these courses through Discovery Seminars offered exclusively to freshmen students. Each seminar comes with one course credit.
The LGBTQ+ identity course, “LGBTQ+ Cinema and TV in Pop Culture,” is taught by Gabriel Acevedo, assistant professor of English and Puerto Rican native. While teaching at a Catholic school in Puerto Rico, Acevedo introduced LGBTQ+ poetry to his students.
The ASU course focuses on mobilizing progressive ideas of gender, sexuality, and LGBTQ+ identities through pop culture, namely visual media like TV and movies.
Concepts of gender and sexuality are presented as fluid and subject to change with time. The course also explores how intersectionality impacts LGBTQ+ ideology by discussing identities, race, abilities, and class.
“[This course will] determine the extent to which LGBTQ+ experiences and conversations can unlock unprecedented, crucial, and essential cultural movements for young adults and teens,” stated the course description.
Acevedo’s most recent publication featured on the National Council of Teachers of English for the English Journal, “Mediating Empathy: Teaching LGBTQIA+ Young Adult Literature with Literary and Critical Care,” stressed the importance of not just including LGBTQ+ content in courses but teaching affirmation of LGBTQ+ identities to students.
Acevedo’s approach proposed treating LGBTQ+ content with the same reverence as works more traditionally classified as classic literature.
“Without intentional pedagogical focus, teachers risk unintentionally reinforcing the very marginalization they aim to challenge. Therefore, LGBTQIA+ texts should be regarded as cultural artifacts that require careful interpretation, balancing celebration of queer humanity with strategies for harm reduction,” said Acevedo. “These experiences strengthen my belief that every young person — whether queer, questioning, or cisgender heterosexual — benefits from literature that affirms gender and sexuality diversity and fosters critical empathy. Similarly, teachers, whether queer-identifying or allies, need practical, research-based strategies to responsibly include such texts in their classrooms.”
The witchcraft course, “Witches in the Age of #WitchTok,” is taught by Susan Nguyen, a poet and the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing editor-in-chief of ASU’s international literary journal, Hayden’s Ferry Review.
“#WitchTok” refers to the viral online subculture with millions of posts and billions of views dedicated to witchcraft. Creators who engage in this online subculture practice witchcraft and many use their platforms to educate others practicing, to include spells, potions, and divination.
Users attest to communicating with deities such as Hekate, or creatures like fairies and forest nymphs.
Some users attest that witchcraft and Christianity, which commands against the practice of witchcraft, may be practiced simultaneously.
Top creators include Frankie Ann (@chaoticwitchaunt, over 1.6 million followers across multiple social media channels).
In her course, Nguyen reframes witches as more than fictional side characters and as real and “powerful” figures of controversy and esteem that are making a “comeback.”
Nguyen also promotes and encourages gossip “as a tool of power and protection, especially for women and marginalized communities.”
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | May 12, 2026 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Congressman Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ-06) has secured a significant new mission for Fort Huachuca, marking a major victory for national security, economic growth, and Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District.
The U.S. Department of War has selected Fort Huachuca as the primary site for the new mission and squadron, recognizing the installation’s unique strategic capabilities, advanced infrastructure, and strong regional support.
Local leaders and stakeholders across Cochise County and Southern Arizona are applauding Rep. Ciscomani’s determined advocacy and successful collaboration with the Trump administration and the Department of Defense.
“This new mission is a win for Sierra Vista and Cochise County, a win for Arizona and a win for our national security,” stated Ciscomani. “Most importantly, this a testament to Fort Huachuca and its nationally recognized role as an unequalled strategic asset, not just today, but for the future of our national defense.”
Fort Huachuca, located approximately 15 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, is the largest employer in Cochise County. It features 946 square miles of restricted airspace and 2,500 square miles of protected electronic ranges. Its selection was strengthened by a robust regional ecosystem that includes the University of Arizona, along with major defense contractors such as Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and Honeywell.
Local leaders emphasized the mission’s broad benefits, including high-quality job creation and substantial economic impact.
Dr. Randy Groth, Fort Huachuca 50 said, “The selection of Fort Huachuca as the primary site for the new mission and squadron is a significant achievement for Sierra Vista and Cochise County, solidifying our community’s leadership in homeland defense and national security. I value Congressman Ciscomani’s dedicated advocacy and ongoing collaboration with the Department of War in securing this vital mission, which will create new opportunities and strengthen our region’s commitment to supporting our active duty service members.”
Clea McCaa, Mayor of Sierra Vista, stated, “Bringing this new mission to Fort Huachuca is a game-changer for Sierra Vista and our surrounding region. Not only will it further support American interests by strengthening our national defense posture, but it will also create high-quality jobs, bringing in approximately $3 billion in economic impact and reinforcing our city’s strong partnership with the Department of Defense. I appreciate Congressman Ciscomani’s continued advocacy over the past year in securing Fort Huachuca for this important investment in our future.”
Suresh Garimella, President of University of Arizona added, “The establishment of this mission at Fort Huachuca is a historic win for Arizona and a testament to the tireless advocacy of Congressman Juan Ciscomani. The University of Arizona has a long and storied legacy, and we are eager to bring our world-class research and technical prowess to this vital national security priority. We look forward to supporting the Air Force in Southern Arizona to safeguard our nation’s interests.”
Melany Edwards-Barton, Sky Islands Regional Partnership said, “The fact of the matter is, missions don’t come to an area that is not supported by its community. We have a supportive community down here that is willing to support it. Bringing in another mission adds jobs, adds another level of financial security to our region; the economic impact is going to be fabulous.”
This announcement underscores Fort Huachuca’s continued importance to America’s defense posture and delivers tangible economic benefits to Southern Arizona.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | May 12, 2026 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Arizona Republican Party is ramping up its election integrity operations ahead of the 2026 election cycle, naming attorney Greg Roeberg as legal counsel to oversee legal strategy and respond to anticipated election-related disputes.
Under the leadership of Chairman Sergio Arellano, party officials said Roeberg will help guide legal strategy and election-related operations in the lead-up to statewide races, including a competitive contest for attorney general.
Roeberg, an Arizona-based attorney with experience in business and government law, has served as an election integrity attorney for the Republican National Committee, President Donald Trump, and Republican candidates in Arizona during the 2020, 2022, and 2024 election cycles.
In an exclusive statement to AZ Free News, Arellano explained that election integrity remains a central issue for voters heading into 2026.
“Election integrity is a mandate from Arizona voters, and Greg Roeberg has already proven he knows how to fight and win on that front— having represented President Trump and Republican candidates in the most consequential election battles in our state,” Arellano said.
Arellano also referenced ongoing disputes between Republicans and Arizona election officials, including Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, stating that the party is preparing legal resources to respond to election administration issues in the coming cycle.
“We have seen how far Adrian Fontes will go to assert his will to subvert fair and free elections, and the AZGOP stands ready now to protect voters,” Arellano said.
Roeberg said he is “honored to serve the Arizona Republican Party” and emphasized the importance of legal preparation ahead of the next election.
“After three election cycles in the trenches, I know what’s at stake in this state,” Roeberg said. “I’m ready to get to work alongside Chairman Arellano and our grassroots team to protect the voice of every legal voter in Arizona.”
Earlier in the 2026 cycle, Roeberg launched a campaign for Arizona attorney general before stepping aside to focus on election-related legal work.
The appointment comes as both parties continue building legal and campaign infrastructure ahead of the 2026 election cycle, with election administration and litigation expected to remain a central component of political strategy in Arizona.
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.
