⛪ When Cults Come to Campus: TUSD's Dangerous Principal Appointment by Superintendent Trujillo Raises Red Flags
Superintendent Trujillo's latest pick has a history of prioritizing religious agenda over student welfare
😽 Keepin’ It Simple Summary for Younger Readers
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A big controversy is happening at Tucson's largest school district where the people in charge tried to hire someone with serious problems to run the city's oldest high school. This person, Jon Lansa, had to leave his last job as a principal because he was doing religious activities at school ⛪📚 when he should have been focused on education, and he's connected to a church that experts say acts like a harmful cult 🚩⛪.
The school district's leaders seem more interested in playing money games 💰🎲 and helping their friends 🤝 than making sure students get a good education 📖✨. Over 3,200 students 👥📊 have been stuck without a permanent principal for more than a year ⏰📅 because of these bad decisions, and it's part of a bigger problem where politicians 👔🏛️ are trying to destroy public schools 🏫💔 to help private religious schools instead ⛪🏫.
🗝️ Takeaways
🎯 TUSD attempted to appoint Jon Lansa, who was forced to leave his previous principal position due to religious misconduct in public schools
⛪ Lansa serves as board director for Faith Christian Church, which multiple institutions have severed ties with due to cult-like practices
💰 The appointment appears designed to manipulate budget cuts while placing an unqualified administrator in charge of Arizona's oldest high school
🏫 Over 3,200 students at Tucson High Magnet School have been without permanent leadership for over a year due to administrative incompetence
📊 TUSD overspent federal and state allocations by over $20 million in fiscal year 2024 while claiming financial responsibility
🚨 Anonymous whistleblowers have raised serious questions about Superintendent Trujillo's residency, hiring practices, and transparency violations
🗳️ The scandal reflects broader attacks on public education in Arizona, including voucher programs that divert taxpayer money to private religious schools
The following article is based of TUSD Whistleblower Letter #110.
When Public Schools Become Private Playgrounds: TUSD's Latest Scandal Exposes Systemic Corruption in Arizona Education
In the borderlands of Southern Arizona, where la frontera shapes our daily reality and educational equity remains an ongoing struggle, we're witnessing yet another assault on public education—this time from within.
The Tucson Unified School District (TUSD), our community's largest educational institution serving over 40,000 students, has once again become a cautionary tale of what happens when corporate interests, religious extremism, and administrative incompetence converge in our public institutions.
The latest scandal involving the botched principal appointment at Tucson High Magnet School isn't just another bureaucratic fumble—it's a microcosm of the broader attacks on public education that have accelerated during the Trump era and continue to threaten our communities' most vulnerable students.
The Immediate Crisis: A School Without Leadership
Tucson High Magnet School—Arizona's oldest operating public high school and TUSD's largest, with over 3,200 students—has been forced to operate under interim leadership for over a year. This isn't just an administrative inconvenience; it's an educational crisis that directly impacts student outcomes, teacher morale, and community trust.
According to whistleblower documents obtained by concerned TUSD administrators, teachers, parents, and community activists (see above), Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo's handling of the principal appointment process has been nothing short of chaotic.
The district initially attempted to appoint Meg Tully, an assistant principal who openly admitted she wasn't qualified for the position. She stated she was "just interviewing for the THMS principalship for the experience—I did not think I would get it."
When that appointment collapsed under public scrutiny, Trujillo pivoted to an even more troubling choice: Jon Lansa, whose background should have immediately disqualified him from any role in public education.
The Faith Christian Church Connection: Religious Extremism in Public Schools
Jon Lansa's story represents everything wrong with the current state of public education oversight in Arizona.
Previously a principal at Amphitheater High School, Lansa was forced to leave due to substantiated complaints about conducting religious activities on campus during work hours and manipulating procurement policies to benefit Faith Christian Church, an organization where he serves as a board director.
The scope of Faith Christian Church's problematic practices came to light through extensive investigative reporting by the Arizona Daily Star.
Their investigation revealed that 21 former employees and members of Faith Christian Church, along with nine parents, described the organization as operating like a cult. The documented practices include:
Documented Cult-Like Behaviors:
Financial coercion and excessive control over members' finances
Physical abuse of infants, including reports of hitting babies as young as 8 weeks old with cardboard tubes to encourage "submission"
Isolation tactics that encourage members to cut ties with family and friends outside the church
Aggressive recruitment targeting vulnerable college students
Authoritarian control over most aspects of members' lives
The University of Arizona's University Religious Council conducted their own investigation and voted unanimously to sever ties with Faith Christian Church and its affiliated student groups. Their statement was unequivocal:
"The number, seriousness and pattern of red flags raised compel council members to no longer believe that Faith Christian Church and its affiliates operate at the highest level of integrity, transparency, safety for students, and respect for students."
The Educational Impact: When Religion Trumps Learning
At Amphitheater High School, Lansa's religious priorities directly interfered with student education.
Teachers complained that their students lost approximately one hour of classroom instruction time every Monday morning because Faith Christian Church members would rearrange furniture and equipment during weekend services without properly restoring classrooms. When teachers repeatedly brought these concerns to Lansa, he ignored them, prioritizing his church's convenience over his students' right to uninterrupted education.
This pattern of behavior raises serious questions about Lansa's fitness to serve in any public school setting, particularly one as diverse as Tucson High Magnet School, where the student body is 70% Hispanic, 15% White, 6% African American, and 4% Native American.
¿Cómo puede un fanático religioso servir a nuestra comunidad diversa? How can a religious fanatic serve our diverse community with the respect and equity every student deserves?
The Corporate Shell Game: Budget Manipulation Disguised as Personnel Decisions
The timing and circumstances of Lansa's proposed appointment reveal another layer of corruption within TUSD's administration. Lansa currently serves as Executive Director of Federal Programs and School Improvement, reporting directly to Chief Financial Officer Ricky Hernandez.
His promotion to principal would conveniently eliminate his current position during budget cuts, allowing Hernandez to claim budget savings while placing an unqualified administrator in charge of the district's flagship school.
This isn't responsible financial management; it's corporate manipulation that treats public education budgets like personal piggy banks. The pattern is particularly troubling given TUSD's recent financial performance:
Systemic Failures: The Broader Pattern of TUSD Dysfunction
The Lansa appointment isn't an isolated incident—it's part of a broader pattern of failed leadership under Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo.
Areas of Concern:
Residency questions: Allegations that Trujillo doesn't maintain primary residence within TUSD boundaries
Hiring practices: Pattern of appointments that prioritize personal relationships over qualifications
Financial management: Questionable expenditure decisions made without proper board oversight
Transparency violations: Repeated closed-door decisions that exclude community input
While Trujillo dismisses these concerns as politically motivated attacks, the pattern of poor decision-making speaks louder than his denials. The fact that multiple TUSD board members have called for investigations suggests these aren't mere political grievances but legitimate governance concerns.
The Trump Era Context: Attacks on Public Education Continue
This scandal must be understood within the broader context of attacks on public education that have accelerated since the Trump era began. Arizona has been ground zero for these assaults, implementing policies that systematically undermine public schools while funneling taxpayer money to private and religious institutions.
Arizona's Anti-Public Education Agenda:
Universal voucher program (2022-2023): Allows public funding for private and religious schools
Charter school expansion (since 1994): Creates parallel system that drains resources from public schools
Reduced oversight: Minimal accountability requirements for private schools receiving public funds
Teacher pay suppression: Arizona consistently ranks among lowest states for educator compensation
Es una estrategia deliberada. It's a deliberate strategy to privatize public education by making public schools appear dysfunctional while simultaneously defunding them and removing oversight mechanisms that would prevent scandals like the Lansa appointment.
Impact on Our Communities: Who Really Pays the Price
When public school leadership fails, it's not the administrators or board members who suffer—it's our students, families, and communities.
The students at Tucson High Magnet School, many from working-class Latino families who depend on quality public education as their pathway to economic mobility, are the real victims of this administrative incompetence.
Student Demographics at Risk:
3,200+ students without stable leadership for over a year
70% Hispanic student body potentially facing administrators with documented bias issues
87% graduation rate at risk due to administrative instability
Magnet programs in science and arts threatened by leadership vacuum
The impact extends beyond test scores and graduation rates. When students see their school treated as a political football and their education subordinated to adult power games, it undermines their faith in public institutions and democratic processes.
Nuestros jóvenes merecen mejor. Our youth deserve better.
The Religious Liberty Smokescreen
Defenders of Lansa's appointment may try to frame criticism as attacks on religious liberty. This argument is both disingenuous and dangerous. No one is questioning Lansa's right to his religious beliefs or practice. The issue is his documented history of:
Using public resources for religious purposes
Prioritizing religious interests over student welfare
Ignoring complaints when religious activities interfered with education
Serving leadership roles in an organization that multiple institutions have deemed harmful
Religious liberty doesn't include the right to impose one's faith on public school students or to use taxpayer-funded positions to advance religious agendas. The separation of church and state exists precisely to protect all students' rights to education free from religious coercion.
What Proper Oversight Should Look Like
The failures in TUSD's appointment process highlight the need for robust oversight mechanisms that many districts lack. Proper hiring procedures for public school administrators should include:
Essential Safeguards:
Comprehensive background checks examining candidates' performance in previous public education roles
Community input sessions allowing parents, students, and staff to participate in selection
Clear conflict of interest policies preventing appointments that serve personal or financial interests
Separation of church and state protocols disqualifying candidates with documented religious misconduct in public settings
Financial transparency preventing personnel decisions from being used to manipulate budgets
These aren't burdensome bureaucratic requirements—they're basic protections for public education integrity that many successful districts implement routinely.
The Broader Arizona Education Crisis
TUSD's dysfunction reflects broader problems plaguing Arizona's approach to public education.
The state consistently ranks near the bottom nationally in per-pupil spending, teacher pay, and educational outcomes while simultaneously expanding programs that divert resources away from public schools.
Arizona Education Rankings (2024):
This systematic underfunding creates the conditions for scandals like the Lansa appointment. When districts are forced to operate with inadequate resources and minimal oversight, corners get cut and proper procedures get ignored.
Community Response and Resistance
Despite the challenges, our communities aren't passive victims of these attacks on public education. Across Southern Arizona, parents, educators, and community activists are organizing to demand accountability and protect our schools.
The TUSD Whistleblower Group that exposed the Lansa appointment represents one form of this resistance. By documenting and publicizing administrative failures, they're holding public officials accountable when official oversight mechanisms fail.
Similarly, organizations like Three Sonorans and others in our media ecosystem are providing the independent journalism necessary to expose corruption and inform community members about issues that directly affect their children's education.
The Path Forward: Immediate Actions Needed
The TUSD Governing Board must take immediate action to address this crisis:
Immediate Steps:
Halt the Lansa appointment pending comprehensive review
Implement transparent hiring procedures with community input
Conduct independent investigation of Trujillo's decision-making process
Establish clear church-state separation policies for all personnel decisions
Create community oversight mechanisms for major administrative appointments
These actions won't solve all of TUSD's problems, but they would represent important steps toward restoring community trust and ensuring that student welfare comes first in administrative decisions.
Long-term Systemic Change
Beyond addressing the immediate crisis, Arizona needs comprehensive education reform that prioritizes public schools over private interests:
Policy Priorities:
Increase per-pupil funding to at least national average levels
Strengthen oversight of charter schools and voucher programs
Improve teacher compensation to attract and retain quality educators
Restore local control over curriculum and personnel decisions
Implement strict church-state separation requirements for all public education positions
La lucha continúa. The struggle continues, but change is possible when communities organize and demand better.
A Note of Hope: Our Community's Strength
Despite the frustrations and setbacks, there's reason for hope in our borderlands community. The fact that concerned educators, parents, and community members are speaking out against corruption demonstrates the strength of our democratic values and commitment to our children's futures.
Every time we expose administrative failure, challenge unqualified appointments, or demand transparency in public institutions, we're modeling for our students what engaged citizenship looks like. Estamos enseñando a nuestros jóvenes a luchar por la justicia. We're teaching our youth to fight for justice.
The diversity and resilience that characterize our Southern Arizona communities are assets in this struggle. Our multicultural, multilingual students bring perspectives and experiences that can't be replicated in private schools or religious academies. Public education, at its best, reflects and celebrates this diversity while preparing all students for success in an interconnected world.
How to Get Involved
Change happens when communities organize and take action. Here's how you can help protect public education in our region:
Take Action:
Attend TUSD board meetings and speak during public comment periods
Contact board members directly to express concerns about the Lansa appointment
Join or support local education advocacy organizations
Vote in school board elections and research candidates' positions
Share information with friends, family, and neighbors about education issues
Support independent journalism that covers these critical issues
Subscribe to Three Sonorans Substack to stay informed about ongoing developments in public education and other issues affecting our borderlands communities. Independent media is essential for holding public officials accountable and ensuring our communities have the information needed to make informed decisions.
Your engagement matters. Every voice raised in defense of public education makes a difference in protecting our children's futures and preserving democratic institutions that serve all community members, regardless of their family's economic status or religious beliefs.
The fight for quality public education is fundamentally about justice, equity, and opportunity. It's about ensuring that every child in our community has access to the education they need to reach their full potential, free from religious coercion and administrative corruption.
Juntos podemos ganar. Together, we can win.
What do you think about this situation? Leave a comment below with your thoughts. I'm particularly interested in hearing:
What steps do you think the TUSD Governing Board should take to address this crisis and prevent similar problems in the future?
How can our communities better organize to protect public education from these kinds of attacks and ensure administrator accountability?
Have a scoop or a story you want us to follow up on? Send us a message!
Don't renew Superintendent Trujillo's contract. It's up in 2026.
Hire an internal auditor to replace the one Trujillo drove off.
Hire an expert to do a forensic audit with the help of the internal auditor.
Hold the 5 highly paid Area Assistant Superintendents accountable for the ELA proficiency and the math proficiency of the students in their schools. Hold them accountable for bullying and other indicators in their schools' School Quality Surveys.
Great reporting! I worry about TUSD and its students' education.
Superintendent Trujillo drove off TUSD's highly qualified internal auditor. That has left TUSD finances at the mercy of CFO Hernandez who does not have a degree in finance or accounting. He was appointed to be the CFO of TUSD, the 3rd largest school district in Arizona without having been the CFO of a school district before.
Hernandez got the Board to approve the 2024-25 budget without having seen the 2024-25 Budget Book.
The budget book wasn't completed until September 2024, over 2 months late. The 8,000 page document had page after page of meaningless random numbers, but none of the schools' budgets! It did have the departments' budgets, but not the numbers of employees.
After complaints and FOIA requests, a 221 page version of the budget book that included the schools' & departments' budgets was released in December 2024, over 5 months late! Unfortunately, the total amounts for the budget and for prior years' budgets don't match in the two versions of the budget book!