An Arizona state lawmaker and school official was reportedly accused of sexual harassment by a superintendent earlier this month, which prompted an alleged effort to oust him, culminating in the launch of a third party investigation on Wednesday.
Arizona State Representative Elda Luna-Nájera (D-District 22), who also serves as the governing board president of the Tolleson Union High School District, was accused of sexual harassment by superintendent Jeremy Calles in a legal complaint reported by 12 News on August 9.
The outlet reported Calles (pictured here) filed a sexual harassment and hostile work environment complaint the preceding week, and that Calles stated the harassment occurred from December until April, and ended “when he made it clear her advancements were not welcome.”
Jeremy Calles, Superintendent – Tolleson Union High School District / tushd.org
After he declined the lawmaker’s advances, 12 News reported Calles claimed his employee evaluations took a hit, and “different things have been taking place over the last several months to try to get me terminated, to try to get everyone to want to terminate me.”
Calles reportedly said this effort culminated in an August 9 meeting of the governing board to consider his employment. The outlet reported that Luna-Nájera did not take place in the vote that led to Calles’ continued employment.
The superintendent stressed his support for “gender equality” in remarks reported by 13 News, but said his allegations against Luna-Nájera amount to “abuse of power.”
“I’m all for gender equality and empowering our women and bringing them up to leadership positions, but there’s two sides of that coin,” Calles said, according to the outlet. “When there’s abuse of power, men too can be sexually harassed.”
On Wednesday, Tolleson Union High School District board member Dr. Kino Flores confirmed in a statement to ABC 15 that “an outside, independent party” was contracted to complete an investigation, and indicated it would not comment on the matter to maintain “strict employee confidentiality” amid multiple investigations.
In a statement to Arizona’s Family, Flores additionally contradicted claims the board was considering “terminating Superintendent Calles’ employment,” which she stated “has never been on the table,” but said the board would not comment until the conclusion of the investigation.
Luna-Nájera was selected by a citizen’s panel in February to fill the seat vacated by former Representative Leezah Sun, who resigned earlier that month after a series the Arizona House Ethics Committee released a report revealing a litany of aberrant behavior that included threats to throw a government official off a balcony.
She has served as an at-large member of the Tolleson Union High School District since November 9, 2020, according to Ballotpedia. Her term will end in 2027.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “State Rep Elda Luna-Nájera” by State Rep Elda Luna-Nájera and “Tolleson Union School District Office” by Tolleson Union School District.
