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Speakers tell board alleged failures in mandatory reporting and SRO response at Chandler Unified
Summary
During public comment at the Feb. 20 Chandler Unified Governing Board meeting, two speakers alleged district staff and school resource officers failed to follow mandatory-reporting procedures and urged the district to enforce state law and its policies.
During the public-comment portion of the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board meeting on Feb. 20, two speakers described personal and systemic concerns about how the district has handled reports of alleged sexual misconduct and mandatory reporting obligations.
Bridget Vega of Gilbert spoke about a long account of her experiences as a former student. She told the board she and classmates reported a teacher when she was 12 and that district administrators failed to notify her parents, did not remove the teacher from unsupervised access, and did not pursue criminal reporting. "They ignored the cries for help," Vega said in the meeting, adding she was later diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety. Vega said administrators allowed the teacher to retire with no disciplinary action and alleged the district worked to "cover up what had happened." She asked the board to consider the long-term effects on victims when deciding discipline.
Caricia Arnold, also of Gilbert, said in her remarks that staff members she has spoken with were misinformed about mandatory-reporting responsibilities. "Staff members were under the understanding that they were to go directly to administration and report that occurrence, then the administration was to go to the SRO," Arnold said. "The problem is that comes into place here in Maricopa County, that's actually a direct violation of law. The staff members are required to go directly to the police officer." Arnold urged the district to enforce state laws and correct staff practice to ensure mandatory reporters follow legal requirements.
Board staff read the public-comment rules at the start of the open comment period and later moved through the scheduled speakers; the board took no formal action during the public-comment time and did not respond with policy changes at the meeting. Several speakers asked for improved enforcement and better training so that statutory reporting obligations and district policy align.
Ending: The board's published materials indicate staff are preparing informational resources and videos about mandatory reporting and Title IX processes; the district said those resources would appear on the planning agenda in the near term and could inform policy or training changes.
