Parents tell Chandler Unified board alleged student harm was not handled; call for accountability

Chandler ' Two parents used the public-comment portion of the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board's June 25 meeting to say the district did not adequately respond when students reported being harmed, and they urged board members and the superintendent to take immediate action.

Katie McPherson, who said she spent 22 years on a campus and that four of her children attend or attended district schools, told the board: "Listen to our children. Act boldly and swiftly when they report harm by peers or adults." She described reporting an allegation on March 8, 2022 about a man she said had allegedly harmed multiple students at a campus where she had four children; she told the board she received no substantive response and that only a subset of affected students had been interviewed by investigators.

McPherson also said the same individual had been the named suspect in an alleged assault at a West Valley campus in 2020, and she described an incident in November 2024 at Basha High School where, she said, a teacher behaved inappropriately toward students and staff failed to provide adequate supervision. "The kids and we as parents will not be silenced," McPherson said. "I will not let my children be taught that this kind of behavior is okay."

Bridget Vega, a second speaker during the public-comment period, said district leaders "protected your image and power instead" of students. "Your leadership chose silence over safety, power over protection, reputation over responsibility," she told the board, and she detailed multiple allegations raised by parents and students at Perry High School and other campuses. Vega referenced a student she named as a public-safety concern and said that some students and families had been pushed to leave the area for safety.

Both callers asked the board and Superintendent Frank Narducci to prioritize student safety and to meet with experts to review the district's response policies. McPherson urged the district to "stop hiring lawyers and start hiring experts" and named local advocates and attorneys by name.

Board response and context

Board members did not take formal action in response to the public comments during the meeting; the board moved on to the consent agenda and other business after the speakers concluded. Superintendent Narducci and district staff previously told the public there was "no correspondence at this time" in the meeting's formal correspondence slot. The meeting later included votes to continue a behavioral-health services IGA as presented, to approve an RFQ for a superintendent search and to publish the proposed budget for public hearing.

Clarifying details from public commenters

- Katie McPherson said she reported concerns on March 8, 2022, alleging a man had harmed multiple students at a campus where she had children; she said five female students were spoken to by male administrators and only one by a forensic detective.

- McPherson said the named suspect had been linked to an alleged assault at a West Valley campus in 2020 prior to coming to the district.

- She said a November 2024 classroom incident at Basha High School involved lewd conduct and an attempted suppression of parental complaints via nondisclosure agreements.

- Bridget Vega described a pattern of alleged student harassment and violence that she said was not sufficiently addressed by district leadership; she referred to multiple incidents including threats, physical assaults and a recent double shooting that left a former student deceased.

What the public asked for

Speakers asked the board to: - Accept external review by child-safety experts and advocates. - Prioritize transparency about investigations and disclosures to appropriate authorities. - Ensure district procedures for reporting and investigating alleged harm are followed and do not rely solely on outside counsel to respond to victims.

Ending

The board did not act on the specific requests during the June 25 meeting, and staff did not announce any immediate investigatory steps at the meeting. Several board actions later in the agenda (including votes on behavioral-health services contracting and a superintendent-search RFQ) may lead to future discussions of district response systems; speakers asked that any future steps emphasize victim-centered investigations and transparency.