Hundreds call for Phoenix school board member to resign over his controversial political ties

PHOENIX – Hundreds of people in the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) are calling for governing board member Jeremiah Cota to resign.

Over 600 people have signed a petition calling for his resignation after he attended a holiday party thrown by Republicans for National Renewal, a far-right political group that AZMirror and Arizona Republic have said has ties to white nationalism and white supremacy.

“When a board member’s actions suggest comfort with groups tied to hate and exclusion, it shakes confidence in their ability to represent all students,” the petition says.

Calls for his resignation erupted after Cota posted a photo at a Dec. 20 party hosted by the group.

Cool event with @RNRenewal annual Christmas party last night.

Was able to meet Roger Stone for the first time.

Mr. Stone spoke to the event and is supporting Tulsi Gabbard as Vance’s VP pick. pic.twitter.com/SXIF0RtBdH

— Jeremiah Cota ✝️🇺🇸 (@jeremiahcota) December 21, 2025

PXU serves more than 23,000 students across 23 schools in Phoenix, with over 90% of its students identifying as a minority.

Jeremiah Cota faces calls for resignation while running for office

A member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, Cota previously served as political director for the Arizona Republican Party.

From January 2021 to March 2022, he worked as a constituent services representative for U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, who is currently running in the GOP gubernatorial primary.

In addition to his role on the governing board, Cota has also worked for U.S. Rep. Paul Gosar as district office manager, a position he has held since January 2023.

Cota was not elected to the PXU governing board; he was appointed by Maricopa County Superintendent Shelli Boggs and sworn in on June 4, 2025.

Because he was appointed to fill a vacant seat rather than elected, he is now running to secure the position for a full four‑year term.

His opponent, Isaac Young, argues that Cota is doing the opposite of what the job requires: representing the community.

“We don’t need board members who are going to be flirtatious with extremism when you’re representing a district that has over 25,000 students that come from all different walks of life,” Young told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Thursday. “That is where you’re supposed to stand on the backs of diversity and inclusion the most.”

This isn’t the first time Jeremiah Cota has faced criticism

Cota was also involved in controversy in August after he recited the Lord’s Prayer instead of delivering the district’s land acknowledgement before a board meeting, which is not permitted.

Good morning. Last night, @PhoenixUnion Board President and parliamentarian shut me down for reading the Lord’s prayer.

The ruling by the parliamentarian, “We cannot have a religious prayer before the land acknowledgement”

I was ruled out of order yet simultaneously told the… pic.twitter.com/5DPQfgY2TQ

— Jeremiah Cota ✝️🇺🇸 (@jeremiahcota) August 8, 2025

A bill currently moving through the legislature would reverse that policy and allow prayer at board meetings.

Estaban Flemons, president of the Phoenix Union Classroom Teachers Association, said Cota does not fit the values other board members share.

“Why would you be willing to serve on a governing board when you do not represent the values of the district, do not seem to appreciate the students who are here or value their contributions to society?” Flemons told KTAR News 92.3 FM.

More than 100 community members will show up to demand Cota’s resignation at Thursday night’s governing board meeting.

Cota did not respond to a request for comment.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

Related

Kimberly Yee wins GOP primary for Arizona schools chief over Tom HorneArizona voters to choose Republican and Democratic nominees for top education positionFormer Mesa High School official claims that an inaccurate police report destroyed his careerFormer ASU President, who elevated university’s status, dies at 89Peoria Unified names new principal for school at center of teacher sex scandalASU students collaborate with Disney on secret project for Mickey Mouse’s 100th birthday