Peoria Unified names new principal for school at center of teacher sex scandal

The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board named a new principal for the school at the center of an investigation into a teacher sex scandal.

The board voted 3-2 on Thursday to promote Darien Schoolcraft from assistant principal and athletic director of Centennial High School to principal.

In comments after the vote, Schoolcraft kept the focus on his students without mentioning the investigation.

“I’ve been lucky to see many of these students grow as I worked at Desert Harbor and Sundance Elementary, and I still remember many of them. I saw one in the parking lot today [that I knew from] when they were just in kindergarten and first grade. It is unique. It’s humbling to welcome students in kindergarten but then also watch them walk across the stage and graduate as proud Coyotes,” he said.

Board member Janelle Bowles, who voted against promoting Schoolcraft, said the active police investigation into two teachers accused of sexual misconduct with a student influenced her position.

“Given the ongoing criminal investigation and not having all the facts and being under investigation as we speak and sit up here tonight, I’m not comfortable voting yes at this time,” she said.

Investigation into Centennial High School teacher sex scandal continues

Last week, the Peoria Police Department served Peoria Unified with a second search warrant related to the investigation into former Centennial High School teachers Haley Beck and Angela Burlaka.

The district released a statement saying it was “disappointed” by how the search disrupted preparations for the coming school year, which starts Aug. 3.

The district said it fulfilled the first warrant and has been providing police with additional requested records.

Burlaka and Beck are accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student while they were employed at Centennial High School.

Burlaka surrendered her teaching certification on Jan. 26, the same day the district terminated her. Meanwhile, the district fired Beck on March 26 for violating its sexual harassment policy.

The district has been under fire for how it responded to the allegations against the teachers. The case drew national attention because Beck is the sister of popular content creator Noah Beck, who has more than 30 million TikTok followers.

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

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