Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) ousted its president for defying the board by requesting an additional, third-party investigation into the Centennial High School teacher predators scandal.
The governing board majority voted to remove now-former board president Heather Rooks during a special meeting on Tuesday. Board clerk Becky Proudfit and board member Melissa Ewing requested Rooks’ removal.
The board elected member Jeff Tobey 3-2 to replace Rooks as president. The board voted 3-2 to retain Proudfit as clerk, in so doing denying motions by Rooks and member Janelle Bowles offering up one another as a replacement clerk.
Rooks and Bowles stood allied against the removal proceeding and retainment of Proudfit.
Rooks was elected president last January.
Rooks remarked that her removal was an attack on her freedom of speech and “fighting for student safety.”
The removal proceeding was initiated after Rooks filed a request with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office last week for an investigation into potential mandatory reporting violations by Centennial High School (CHS). According to a police report, CHS’s principal admitted to receiving multiple complaints from students and staff members about Beck prior to the police investigation.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell launched an investigation into potential mandatory reporting violations at CHS prior to Rooks’ request.
The Peoria Police Department disclosed that no PUSD members would face charges for failing to report.
CHS teachers Haley Beck and Angela Burlaka face sexual misconduct charges for illicit relationships with one or more students. Both educators were removed from their classroom following their arrests. Beck was fired, and Burlaka surrendered her teaching certificates.
The PUSD governing board voted 3-2 last month to table a third-party investigation into allegations that CHS administrators knew about the illicit relationships and failed to report them.
Following that vote, Rooks filed the contended request with the MCAO. Rooks defended her action as one taken in her capacity as a parent, not as a board member.
Board member Ewing said Rooks’ media statements undermined the credibility and integrity of the board, the district, and the Peoria Police Department. Ewing further accused Rooks of using her position to undermine the board and investigative efforts in the public’s eye.
“She is advancing a narrative based on belief, rather than evidence, despite her direct knowledge of interviews, investigative steps, and findings discussed in multiple executive sessions,” said Ewing. “Accountability requires evidence: credible and fair processes conducted by experts.”
Board member Proudfit said she received more emails from constituents about removing Rooks than any other subject. Proudfit said she supported Rooks as a board member and credited Rooks for having the best interests of PUSD children at heart; however, Proudfit said Rooks’ media engagements undermined the board’s authority and could jeopardize ongoing investigations.
Board member Bowles apologized to Rooks for the meeting. Bowles claimed that some of the public comment and emails “flooding” inboxes were coming from non-constituents. Bowles said the state and nation were dealing with a sexual abuse crisis.
Board member Tobey said the board’s pause on the third-party investigation was necessary to allow room for the current investigations underway.
“This wasn’t a ‘no,’ this wasn’t a ‘we will not do it,’ this was a ‘we will wait and see what more evidence comes to light,’” said Tobey. “We all want justice, we all want it done right, not rushed and not on our own timeline.”
Public comment on the fate of Rooks’ presidency lasted about an hour. Nearly two dozen parents and community members spoke, divided almost equally for and against Rooks.
Those in favor of retaining Rooks defended her independent action as necessary to ensure student safety in the future.
One CHS parent spoke in favor of retaining Rooks. A senior student at CHS spoke in favor of removing Rooks.
Those for Rooks’ removal argued that multiple independent entities were already undertaking investigative efforts. They characterized Rooks as “selfish” and accused her of undertaking actions that not only violated board ethics but could potentially undermine the cases against the two teachers.
They cited Rooks’ right-leaning political beliefs and approaches to governance, also, as justification for her removal.
Leading up to the meeting, Rooks blamed the Arizona Education Association for engineering the removal proceeding filed by Proudfit and Ewing.
“Peoria School Board Members will vote tomorrow on a new President because the Arizona Teacher Union is calling for me to be removed as President,” said Rooks. “All because I spoke to the news and file [sic] a request to [the] Maricopa County Attorney for looking at mandating reporting Centennial High.”
Peoria School Board Members will vote tomorrow on a new President because the Arizona Teacher Union is calling for me to be removed as President. All because I spoke to the news and file a request to Maricopa County Attorney for looking at mandating reporting Centennial High. pic.twitter.com/E1oUMIudiB
— Heather Rooks The Peoria Mom (@ThePeoriaMom) May 5, 2026
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