Tolleson Union High School District Superintendent Jeremy Calles is being accused of ducking out of the final hearing of the Arizona Joint Legislative Audit Committee looking into mounting allegations of financial mismanagement and misconduct.
Superintendent Jeremy Calles, who had previously requested the opportunity to respond, abruptly refused to appear at the hearing just hours before the start, notifying legislative staff by email.
In what Citizens for School Accountability call “a stunning escalation,” Calles had JLAC Chair Representative Matt Gress served with a $150,000 defamation notice moments before the hearing, a clear attempt to intimidate critics and chill public scrutiny.
Instead of appearing before lawmakers, Calles held a separate press conference on the eve of District Board President Leezah Sun’s criminal sentencing. He chose to stage his own narrative from behind a podium, free from facts or accountability. There, Calles lashed out at critics, recited a list of supposed enemies, and attempted to shift blame with decades-old distractions and finger-pointing.
At the legislative hearing he skipped, testimony from former Tolleson High School Principal Felipe Manduragga proved both explosive and deeply disturbing. Manduragga testified that under Calles’ leadership, students were treated as financial assets rather than children. He also revealed that a known sexual predator was not reported to authorities and that a student who brought a gun to campus was allowed to return without law enforcement notification.
The testimony revealed a pattern of reckless leadership, moral indifference, and systemic cover-up within TUHSD. Calles’ refusal to appear publicly, followed by his attempt to legally threaten those seeking the truth, only underscores a deep resistance to accountability and a deliberate effort to evade public oversight.
Citizens for School Accountability (CSA) says they remain steadfast in their mission to protect students and taxpayers and will continue to advocate for transparency, responsibility, and integrity within TUHSD.
CSA is a new nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the Tolleson community and enhancing educational quality within the Tolleson Union High School District.