TOLLESON, Ariz. — The Tolleson Union High School District held an emergency governing board meeting Friday afternoon to determine the future of the superintendent's job.
The meeting, which was announced on Thursday, only had one action item on the agenda: discussion and consideration of the assignment of Superintendent Jeremy Calles, who has been with the district since 2017. He was the district's chief financial officer and became superintendent last year.
Calles called the meeting a form of retaliation.
He said he filed a sexual harassment and hostile work environment complaint last week, alleging the district's governing board president, Dr. Elda Luna-Najera, made unwanted advances towards him for months. Luna-Najera was also appointed to fill a vacated Arizona House seat earlier this year.
“Men, too, can be sexually harassed," Calles said.
Calles said the harassment began in December and lasted until April when he made it clear her advancements were not welcome. He said since then, he's faced retaliation.
"I've been feeling it in regards on my evaluation, 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 said.
Last week, after discussing the situation with his wife, Calles filed a complaint against Luna-Najera.
"She stands by me. She knew I needed to do this," Calles said about his wife.
On Friday, the governing board went into executive session and discussed the superintendent in private while supporters of Calles packed into the meeting room.
“It's crazy that he has to sit through this and he has to run this district. I just felt terrible," said Jordan Williams, a district employee who showed up in support of Calles. “It was, you know, murmurings all around the district, but everyone was on the same page of man, we got to get behind Jeremy."
Ultimately, the board came out and voted to adjourn the meeting. Luna-Najera did not come out for the vote. Once the vote was finished, she returned to the meeting room.
When asked for her side of the story and for any comment, she exited.
Calles is now calling on her to resign.
“I can stand in front of all these lights and these cameras and I'll tell you exactly how it is and she's running out that door," Calles said.
Calles may have survived Friday's emergency meeting but there is a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday. He's unsure of the board will, again, try to vote him out.
A district spokesperson released the following statement after Friday's meeting:
"The Governing Board acknowledges the public interest in the personnel matters involving the Superintendent on the agenda for the August 9, 2024 special Governing Board meeting. We understand that recent events have raised questions and concerns within our community. The Tolleson Union High School District is deeply committed to maintaining confidentiality in personnel matters, recognizing the importance of protecting the privacy of our employees. This commitment is vital to maintaining trust and ensuring a fair process for all involved. We will maintain employee confidentiality as we navigate this process. We also recognize our responsibility to keep our community informed. We are committed to providing further updates as appropriate while respecting the confidentiality of the individuals involved and the integrity of the ongoing investigation."
>> Download the 12News app for the latest local breaking news straight to your phone.
Watch 12News+ for free
You can now watch 12News content anytime, anywhere thanks to the 12News+ app!
The free 12News+ app from 12News lets users stream live events — including daily newscasts like "Today in AZ" and "12 News" and our daily lifestyle program, "Arizona Midday"—on Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.
Users can also watch on-demand videos of top stories, local politics, I-Team investigations, Arizona-specific features and vintage videos from the 12News archives.
Roku: Add the channel from the Roku store or by searching for "12 News KPNX."
Amazon Fire TV: Search for "12 News KPNX" to find the free 12News+ app to add to your account, or have the 12News+ app delivered directly to your Amazon Fire TV through Amazon.com or the Amazon app.
Up to Speed
Catch up on the latest news and stories on the 12News YouTube channel. Subscribe today.