Parents, staff press Chandler Unified for grooming training and policy reviews after allegations

Public comment at the Chandler Unified School District board meeting on Feb. 12 focused heavily on allegations of staff misconduct and community calls for policy changes, training and clearer communication.

More than 30 people signed up to speak during the meeting’s public-comment period. Several students and staff described direct, positive experiences with Castile High assistant principal Shalomay Woodworth and urged the board not to impose harsh discipline before due process. Tessa Chadwick, a Castile High senior, said Woodworth “is more than an assistant principal. To many students, she is a mentor, a role model, and the driving force behind the positive culture” at the school. Jenna Shear, a counselor at Castile, told the board Woodworth assisted with an investigation in 2021 at staff direction and could face a possible one-year license suspension; Shear framed her comments as a question about whether district employees who follow direction will be protected.

Other speakers pressed the board on safety, training and support for victims. Carissa Arnold, who identified herself as the parent of a child who was groomed and sexually assaulted, urged the district to adopt policies to teach students about appropriate and inappropriate touch and to provide clear protocols for staff. Several speakers referenced recommendations from the Arizona Professional Practices Advisory Commission (PPAC) and asked the district to implement training to help staff recognize grooming behaviors and to hold a public town hall that would include law-enforcement and parents.

An anonymous student’s written testimony read aloud by a teacher said that, as a ninth grader, the student was struggling with depression and felt personally supported by Woodworth when the school intervened and contacted the student’s parent. The testimony concluded: “She made me feel heard and important. I will always be so grateful.”

Speakers on multiple sides asked for transparency about investigations while also emphasizing that disciplinary actions must follow due process and state law. Several public commentators said they had relocated specifically to Chandler for the District’s schools and asked the board and administration to protect staff as well as students. Others urged the board to respond to PPAC recommendations and to adopt grooming awareness training district-wide.

Board President (addressing the public later in the meeting) said state public-meeting law limits what the board can discuss during the meeting but pledged to review the matters raised and follow up. The board also noted that mandatory reporting and annual training for staff are embedded in district practice, and board leadership said it would work with district staff to review policies, procedures and communication channels.