School District Launches Investigation into Lawmaker’s Sexual Harassment Claims

Rep. Elda Luna-Nájera, a Democratic state representative and current president of the Tolleson Union High School District Governing Board, is facing serious allegations of sexual harassment and creating a hostile work environment towards the district’s superintendent, Jeremy Calles.

The Tolleson school district has commissioned an outside firm for a thorough investigation into these claims. The board’s vice president, Kino Flores, confirmed during a recent meeting that the inquiry is underway.

According to reports, Calles formally filed the complaint against Luna-Nájera, asserting that her behavior escalated from December through April. He alleges that her advances were persistent and that she retaliated when he rejected her, even attempting to influence the board to terminate his position.

Flores asserted that there has been no consideration of terminating Calles’ employment, clarifying, “That has never been on the table.” The emergency board meeting held recently focused exclusively on Calles’ employment under the guise of executive discussion.

Luna-Nájera did not provide any comments following the board meeting. Meanwhile, Calles indicated he is unable to discuss the matter further during the ongoing investigation.

In a related development, members of the Littleton Elementary School District Board, Markus Ceniceros and Rachel Barnett, have also called for Luna-Nájera’s resignation. In a letter to the board, they cited the disturbing nature of the allegations and expressed concern over the impact such behavior has on the district’s leadership integrity.

Ceniceros criticized the misuse of power for personal gain as detrimental to trust within the educational environment, while Barnett’s involvement in a separate incident concerning child custody disputes with former state Rep. Leezah Sun adds layers to the unfolding controversy.

Despite the controversies, Luna-Nájera recently secured her position for the upcoming general election in Legislative District 22, having surpassed rival Betsy Munoz by a narrow margin of 2% in the primary race. LD22 is known for its strong Democratic leanings, placing it outside the competitive scope defined by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission.

Flores added that the integrity of the investigation is paramount for the community, emphasizing the commitment to not rush to judgment as all relevant information is gathered for review.