Desert Vista High School

In 2003, the school's former assistant principal, Jane Jones, accused then principal Joe McDonald for alleged unethical practices regarding student athletes. Jones filed a lawsuit against the district, accusing McDonald of dismissing her, after a confrontation about admitting at least one ineligible student in 2001, so that the student can play for the school's football team, in addition to changing the grades of a graduated student, so that she would not lose her scholarship to play for an NCAA Division I school.[11]

In 2004, the school received criticism after reports surfaced that a student named Xavier Kilby remained eligible to play basketball for the school, despite having 247 absences in the first three quarters of the 2003-2004 school year.[12]

In addition, according to a report by the East Valley Tribune, a former football player for the school alleged that he was paid to do homework for teammates.[12]

In 2005, then principal Joe McDonald was accused of various offenses, including discrimination.[10][13] Complaints of this nature reportedly began in 2001.[13]

In that year, 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.[14] 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.[15]

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.[16]

McDonald later announced his decision to step down at the end of his term in June 2006.[13]

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.[17] Cobb accused school administration of inaction, following a number of incidents.[18]

In 2016, six female students who were dressed for their senior panoramic photo later grouped together to spell out a censored version of the racial slur nigger. The students used letters from another message (BEST*YOU'VE*EVER*SEEN*CLASS*OF*2016), with two asterisks used as stand-ins for the Gs in the offending word.[19]

The school received significant backlash, as a result of the controversy,[20] On January 25, some members of the East Valley NAACP protested outside the school.[21] and the incident received national and global attention.[22][23]

At least one of the students reportedly had an offer to play soccer at Northern Arizona University withdrawn,[10] and the six involved were later allowed to finish their high school classes via the district's online options, in an outcome described by some as an "unofficial expulsion".[10]

The incident reportedly sparked confrontations on campus, one of which was captured, on camera, by Phoenix ABC affiliate KNXV-TV.[24] 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".[10]

Three months after the incident, the school, along with Tempe Union High School District, held school assemblies and class workshops to address diversity and social media, among other topics.[25]

A subsequent article in the school's yearbook that detailed the controversy sparked further controversy from those who believe the incident should have been omitted from the yearbook altogether, and resulted in the school offering to glue the controversial pages together, for students who do not want the incident included.[26][27]