Phoenix Elementary board president resigns amid public outcry after bond controversy

Jessica Bueno, president of the Phoenix Elementary School District governing board, announced her immediate resignation at the close of the board's April 22 meeting, saying she did not want to “cause this distraction from the work and trust this district is accomplishing.”

The resignation followed a sustained round of public comments during the meeting in which parents and community members sharply criticized Bueno for posting bond for a local business owner who speakers said was accused of crimes involving a minor. Multiple speakers called for Bueno to resign or said they were organizing a recall.

“There's more that this district can do, and the community is watching,” said Allison Gullick, who identified herself as a district parent. “When this district chooses to stand behind a board member who posted bail for someone convicted of child [sex trafficking], it's not just inappropriate, it's unconscionable.”

Several other speakers made similar demands. Paul Booth, a parent, said the president’s actions had eroded trust: “The president should do the right thing and resign,” he said, and urged the board to adopt stronger ethics policies.

At the meeting, attorneys’ actions, criminal case details and assertions about whether the defendant was convicted or sentenced were raised by speakers in public comment. The board did not take a formal disciplinary vote at the meeting; Bueno’s resignation was presented by Bueno herself as an immediate, voluntary step.

In her remarks announcing the resignation, Bueno framed the decision as an effort to remove a distraction from the district’s work and to avoid jeopardizing future funding measures. “I am not comfortable causing this distraction from the work and trust this district is accomplishing,” she said, adding she did not want to “jeopardize the possibility of not passing future overrides and bonds because of the distress the community may have in my leadership.”

Bueno also addressed her record in office in the resignation statement. She said she had helped lead passage of a $60,000,000 M&O override in 2021 and a $97,000,000 bond in 2022, and said she would continue to support the district as a private citizen. “Although I’m resigning from this role, I’m not stepping away from my commitment to this district or this community,” she said. She closed her remarks: “Don’t let the big kids get in the way of the little kids.”

Board members conducted routine business earlier in the meeting, including approving agenda items and votes on progress-monitoring reports. No board motion to censure or otherwise discipline the president was recorded prior to her announcement; the resignation was read aloud by Bueno near the end of the meeting and recorded as effective immediately.

Public commenters also raised unrelated concerns during the community comment period, including allegations about school staffing and district spending, complaints about a Whittier Elementary teacher’s conduct, and questions about outreach and marketing. Those speakers asked the board for greater transparency and stronger protections for students.

The board did not announce an immediate plan for filling the vacated seat during the April 22 meeting. The next district governing board meeting was announced for May 15 in the Governing Board Room.