Desert Vista High School

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Desert Vista High School
Desertvistahighschool.png
Location
16440 S. 32nd St.
Phoenix, Arizona 85048

United States
Coordinates33°17′48″N 112°00′56″W / 33.296628°N 112.015583°W / 33.296628; -112.015583Coordinates: 33°17′48″N 112°00′56″W / 33.296628°N 112.015583°W / 33.296628; -112.015583
Information
TypePublic
School districtTempe Union High School District
NCES District ID0408340[2]
NCES School ID040834000680[3]
PrincipalMichael Deignan
Staff128.41 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment3,023 (2019–20)[1]
Student to teacher ratio23.54[1]
LanguageEnglish
Color(s)Midnight blue and Vegas gold
Athletics conferenceAIA 6A Conference
MascotThunder
WebsiteOfficial Website

Desert Vista High School is a public high school located in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix, Arizona. It is the second high school built by Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD) opening in 1996 and serves approximately 3,000 students.

Academics[]

Statistics[]

During the 2014–2015 academic year, 3,037 students attended the school,[3] constituting 21.74% of Tempe Union High School District's population.[2] Due to the demographic makeup of Ahwatukee, which is overwhelmingly Caucasian, the school is noted to have a bigger proportion of Caucasian students than other comparable high schools, even Mountain Pointe High School.[4] According to data from the 2014–2015 academic year, 63.22% of the school's student population are classified as Caucasian.[3] Students classified as "Hispanics"[5] form the second biggest demographic bloc, constituting 15.74% of the school's population

The school is ranked 54th in Arizona, in 2017, by the U.S. News & World Report, noting that while the Advanced Placement participation rate is only 24%, the passage rate is 88%.[6]

Extracurricular activities[]

Athletics[]

Desert Vista is an Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) member school offering boys and girls sports complying with Title IX. Student athletes can participate in varsity, junior varsity, and freshmen only teams as well as individual sports under the AIA's 6A Conference.[7] Desert Vista Athletics consist of these sports:[8]

Fine Arts[]

Marching Band[]

The Desert Vista Thunder Marching band is run by director Joshua David Thye, and assistant director Michael J Krill. The director of percussion is Vicente Lopez.[9] The marching band has won many competitions, being 9-time champions for the state of Arizona. 0.5 Fine art credits can be earned by joining the marching band. It is a half semester, 0 hour class and is worth one P.E. credit if you take the course for three years.[10]

Controversies[]

Desert Vista High School has been at the center of several controversies since its opening that have garnered local, national, and even international media attention.

Allegations of records falsification[]

In 2001, the school's registrar at the time, Jane Jones, accused then principal Joe McDonald of approaching three teachers at the schools to change the grades for a student-athlete who was being recruited, but was ineligible to compete at a Division I school.[11] McDonald allegedly approached the teachers after being asked by then-Tempe Union High School District Superintendent James Buchanan to see what can be done to help the student.[11] School district administrators admitted four years later, in 2005, that grades were changed for the softball student-athlete two months after her graduation, after which she was cleared by the National Collegiate Athletic Association to play at Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi.[12]

In 2002, Jones was given her first negative evaluation of her career, and was subsequently fired on McDonald's recommendation.[13] Following her termination, Jones filed a wrongful termination lawsuit under the state's whistleblower protection law, alleging that she was fired because McDonald said she was "not a team player."[14] Subsequently, Jones claimed the school district officials also engaged in retaliation following her dismissal by claiming she was not eligible for rehiring to an investigator working for a California-based reference checking company, thus allegedly implying she has committed wrongdoing. Arizona school districts have no power to determine rehire eligibility, as only the state's Board of Education has the authority to suspend or revoke a person's teaching credentials.[15] A$140,000 settlement between the district and Jones was approved by a judge in 2006.[16]

Alleged preferential treatment of student-athletes[]

In 2004, the school's basketball program came under scrutiny as school records showed that player Xavier Kirby did not attend 247 classes during the first three-quarters of the 2003–04 school year, yet remained eligible for varsity team.[17] In the same report on Kirby's absences, the East Valley Tribune reported that a former school varsity football player, Chris Snow, claimed he was paid by the school district to tutor other student athletes on the team, and in the case of one football player he helped tutor, Snow claims he did 70% to 80% of the work for the player, in an arrangement made to ensure the player remains eligible for football.[17]

District officials say while the district has a peer tutor program, the district does not pay tutors. The East Valley Tribune, however, claims that Snow's allegations were confirmed by two other sources, which were not identified by name.[17] Snow would later clarify his statement to the East Valley Tribune, and the district would later investigate Kilby's absences.[18]

Allegations of racial harassment[]

In 2005, security guard Loretta Avent filed a discrimination charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against McDonald, accusing him of retaliation after she coordinated a meeting that exposed Native American students' claims of harassment by students, in addition to unfair treatment by teachers.[19] During that meeting, which took place in April, 36 parents, students and tribal leaders with the Gila River Indian Community met with school and district leaders to talk about allegations of racial discrimination and harassment, including claims of racial profiling, being called "savages", and inaction by teachers to rectify the problems.[20]

After the aforementioned meeting, which took place in April, Tempe Union High School District received a letter from four women, demanding an investigation into allegations of racial bias against the school's African American students, including unfair grading practices and a student assault, among other claims.[21]

Closed door mediation sessions were later held with school district officials, school administrators, Gila River Indian Community Lt. Gov. Mary Thomas, and US Attorney Paul Charlton, which resulted in sensitivity training for faculty and the creation of a Native American Club on campus.[22][23]

Allegations of sexual harassment involving staff member[]

In 2005, reports surfaced that the school's former football coach, Jim Rattay, was accused by female students of engaging in unprofessional conduct.[24]

According to a report compiled by district officials, Rattay, in one incident, asked a 14-year-old female student to walk to the front of the class, and read, out loud, passages from a pamphlet about teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Rattay claimed to the class that he had seen the girl's name in the boys' bathroom.[24] The girl, who was not identified, claimed that Rattay made false claims that she had white marks on her lips or chin, after she read a passage from the pamphlet about herpes, after which the students interpreted the comment to mean that the girl in question either engaged on oral sex or had herpes. The girl also claimed that Rattay made another false comment about her promiscuity as she sat down.[24]

School district officials, in their report, claimed that an investigation of Rattay found "insufficient evidence" to support allegations of sexual harassment.[24]

In a separate, unrelated complaint, Rattay was accused of calling another female student "ugly", and making other comments about her appearance.[24] The school district later disciplined Rattay, but did not reveal details of the disciplinary actions taken.[24] In 2009, the Phoenix New Times revealed that Rattay was suspended without pay for 10 days from his role as the head of the school's Physical Education Department.[25]

Former teacher sues over alleged racially motivated incidents[]

In 2014, former teacher Cicely D. Cobb sued the school district and then principal Anna Battle, alleging a number of racially motivated incidents, some of which targeted African Americans at the school, had taken place.[26] Cobb accused school administration of inaction, following a number of incidents.[27]

Seniors spell out racial slur with shirts[]

In 2016, the school made headlines over an incident that took place after a panoramic picture session for the graduating seniors. The students wore shirts which together spelled out "BEST*YOU'VE*EVER*SEEN*CLASS*OF*2016", but a separate picture was taken of six female students, who arranged the shirts in such a way that it spelled out the racial slur nigger, with the two "G"s in the middle replaced with the asterisks.[28] The picture of the students quickly spread over social media and garnered a significant backlash, and the incident received national and global attention.[29][30]

School district officials condemned the incident via a statement,[31][32] and the female students involved were given 10-day suspensions. In addition, the students would complete their courses through the district's online learning option, in a disciplinary action some described as "mini-expulsion". At least one of the students reportedly had an offer to play soccer at Northern Arizona University withdrawn.[33]

The incident reportedly sparked confrontations on campus. One incident, which involved a student trying to stop another student from being interviewed by a television reporter with Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV, was captured on camera.[34] Subsequent protests related to the controversy also saw counter-protesters who, according to at least one account, used the word "nigger" against the protesters, while calling on them to "stay on their side of the mountain".[33]

Three months after the incident, the school, along with the school district, held school assemblies and class workshops to address diversity and social media, among other topics.[35] The incident was thrusted back into the media-cycle when the school's yearbook contained an article. Ultimately DVHS offered two yearbooks, one with subsequent article and the other with the corresponding pages glued together.[36][37]

Social media firearm threat[]

In 2018, The Phoenix Police Department announced that a social media threat had been made towards Desert Vista High School. The threat featured a picture of a rifle, which was later found to be copied and pasted from the website of a gun store. It was later determined that the threat had come from outside of the United States, nor was the account created by a Desert Vista student. The school continued to operate normally throughout the day, although some police officers were placed on campus. Desert Vista administrators respectfully asked parents to not visit the school to take their students out of class, as it could pose a further safety risk to students and faculty.[38]

Mexican border senior prank[]

In 2019, the school once again found itself at the center of a racism controversy, after a tweet made by a Twitter account titled "Desert Vista Senior Prank" implied that graduating seniors will pretend the front gate to the high school is the border into Mexico,[39] with "cops searching cars, window washers, and people selling tortillas."[40] School district officials distanced themselves from the tweet, and say the prank will not take place.[40] In addition, a notice was sent to parents that called the tweets "insensitive and thoughtless and absolutely unacceptable."[39]

Notable alumni[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Desert Vista High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved May 31, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Tempe Union High School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c "Search for Public Schools - Desert Vista High School (040834000680)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  4. ^ White, Kaila (May 2, 2016). "N-word controversy at Phoenix high school altered their senior year, changed district's efforts to combat racism". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 20, 2017. As a result, the school has a larger White student population than many comparable Phoenix high schools, at 66 percent White, 13 percent Hispanic, 10 percent Asian and 7 percent Black, according to U.S. News & World Report. By comparison, nearby Mountain Pointe High School is 46 percent White, 27 percent Hispanic, 16 percent Black and 5 percent Asian. Central High School in midtown Phoenix is 8 percent White, 67 percent Hispanic, 10 percent Black and 6 percent Asian.
  5. ^ See Hispanic–Latino naming dispute for details of an ongoing dispute on the naming of US inhabitants who are of Latin American or Spanish origin.
  6. ^ "Desert Vista High School in Phoenix, AZ". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  7. ^ Bordow, Scott. "Bordow: Breaking down the new 6A Conference". azcentral. Retrieved May 23, 2020.
  8. ^ "Desert Vista (Phoenix, AZ) High School Sports – Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Volleyball, and more | MaxPreps". www.maxpreps.com. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  9. ^ "About Us". Desert Vista Thunder Band. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  10. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Desert Vista Thunder Band. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  11. ^ a b James, Daryl (September 27, 2003). "Whistle-blower suit claims E.V. principal fixed grades". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  12. ^ James, Daryl (August 3, 2005). "Tempe Union official admits grades fixed for athlete". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  13. ^ Hogan, Shanna (October 29, 2005). "Desert Vista High principal to retire". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  14. ^ James, Daryl (September 27, 2003). "Whistle-blower suit claims E.V. principal fixed grades". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  15. ^ James, Daryl (October 11, 2003). "Fired school aide claims after-fact retaliation". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  16. ^ Grado, Gary (May 12, 2006). "Tempe district, ex-educator settle suit". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  17. ^ a b c Morgan, Craig (April 2, 2004). "High school athlete plays despite 247 absences". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  18. ^ Simpson, Matt (April 3, 2004). "Tempe school district investigating Kilby's absences". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  19. ^ Yara, Georgann (May 6, 2005). "Guard files discrimination charge against Desert Vista principal". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Archived from the original on March 21, 2006. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  20. ^ Kovesdy, Joe (April 29, 2005). "Native Americans claim mistreatment at Desert Vista". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Archived from the original on November 18, 2005. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  21. ^ Kovesdy, Joe; Murphy, Doug; Powers, Jim; Yara, Georgann (June 1, 2005). "Desert Vista: 2 tales of same school". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Archived from the original on November 25, 2005. Retrieved July 23, 2019. On the same day as the meeting with Charlton, the district received a letter signed by four women claiming racial bias against African Americans at the school. The letter addressed to the governing board demands an investigation into allegations of unfair grading practices, a student assault and other claims.
  22. ^ Yara, Georgann (May 6, 2005). "Guard files discrimination charge against Desert Vista principal". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Archived from the original on March 21, 2006. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  23. ^ Kovesdy, Joe; Murphy, Doug; Powers, Jim; Yara, Georgann (June 1, 2005). "Desert Vista: 2 tales of same school". Ahwatukee Foothills News. Archived from the original on November 25, 2005. Retrieved July 23, 2019. On the same day as the meeting with Charlton, the district received a letter signed by four women claiming racial bias against African Americans at the school. The letter addressed to the governing board demands an investigation into allegations of unfair grading practices, a student assault and other claims.
  24. ^ a b c d e f James, Daryl (April 26, 2005). "Tempe district shrouds coach's censure". East Valley Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  25. ^ Rubin, Paul (October 21, 2009). "Cesar Chavez High Football Coach Jim Rattay in Trouble For Umpteenth Time – But He's A "Winner"". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  26. ^ Scott, Luci (May 1, 2014). "Teacher claims racial bias at Ahwatukee school". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  27. ^ Graf, Nohelani (January 25, 2016). "Former Desert Vista High School teacher suing over racism at school". KNXV-TV. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  28. ^ Stone, Will (January 22, 2016). "Phoenix Students Spell Out Racial Slur On T-Shirts, Leading To Social Media Outrage". KJZZ-FM. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  29. ^ For reports of the incident done by non-Phoenix US media outlets, see:
  30. ^ For reports of the incident done by media outlets outside of the US, see:
  31. ^ "Arizona Teens Suspended For Spelling Out Racial Slur In Viral Photo". NewsOne. January 23, 2016. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  32. ^ NEWSOURCE/KTVK-KPHO/WKRC, CNN (January 25, 2016). "Arizona high school students disciplined after racist photo goes viral". WKRC. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  33. ^ a b White, Kaila (May 2, 2016). "N-word controversy at Phoenix high school altered their senior year, changed district's efforts to combat racism". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  34. ^ Insensitive photo causing Desert Vista HS controversy (Television news broadcast). Ahwatukee, Phoenix, Arizona: KNXV-TV. January 22, 2016. Event occurs at 1:02–1:14. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  35. ^ White, Kaila (April 25, 2016). "In wake of N-word post, Phoenix's Desert Vista hosts student sessions on diversity". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  36. ^ "Article over Desert Vista High School racial slur controversy prompts yearbook change". KNXV-TV. May 6, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  37. ^ "New controversy at Desert Vista HS over 'n-word' article in yearbook". KPNX-TV. May 6, 2016. Retrieved December 20, 2017.
  38. ^ "Police: Desert Vista High School social media threat came from out of the country".
  39. ^ a b Trierweiler, John (May 18, 2019). "District: Desert Vista High School senior prank post 'insensitive and thoughtless and absolutely unacceptable'". KNXV-TV. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  40. ^ a b Mejia, Antonia (May 17, 2019). "District says racist senior prank post 'was absolutely inappropriate'". KPNX. Retrieved January 3, 2021.
  41. ^ "2019–20 Track and Field Roster: Dani Jones". . January 20, 2007. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
  42. ^ "3 more Arizona State signees taken in final day of baseball draft". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  43. ^ Tso, Susanne (January 20, 2007). "Actor seeks 'Grease' role on Broadway". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved April 29, 2008. Crumm, a 2003 graduate of Desert Vista High
  44. ^ "Max Crumm – About Max". Archived from the original on June 4, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
  45. ^ Scott, Eugene; Mittan, Kyle (July 20, 2015). "Celebrities who attended Phoenix high schools". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  46. ^ "Player Bio: Zach Miller :: Football". Archived from the original on January 6, 2008. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
  47. ^ "Bobby Wade". NFL. Retrieved April 29, 2008.

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