Secret Meetings: A Letter to the Arizona Attorney General

When news broke last year of CFSD16 hiding important mental health information and concealing indecent exposure practices from parents, the community woke up and voiced their concerns [read more on this]. In turn, the Board closed future meetings for the rest of the year [read more on this]. We now know this was just the first sign of the CFSD governing Board’s attitude toward parental involvement. Earlier this week, the Arizona Attorney General Open Meeting Law Unit received a 12-page report [read report here] detailing eleven allegations of open meeting law violations by CFSD16 governing board members involving the unlawful secret textbook selection process and use of advisory committees. Such a culture of secrecy inside CFSD violates state laws that have been on the books for years. Worse, it creates an atmosphere of distrust so that citizens banned from these illegal secret meetings wonder what the Board is trying to hide. As we recently reported, there are disturbing things the Board doesn’t want you to see [read more here]. Could this be another reason why only half of CFSD classroom seats are now occupied by district residents? It doesn’t have to be this way and there’s a solution. As we survey the field of candidates seeking to fill the two open seats this November, 2024 we will announce our endorsement of Board candidates who we believe have what it takes to bring CFSD16 back to greatness. Stay alert for more news soon.