Jeremiah Cota, the newest member of the Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board, is quickly making waves as a dissenting voice on a body long known for its liberal leanings. Since his appointment, Cota has stood firm against what he views as “empty symbolism,” while pressing for real action to improve student safety and ensure fairness in board governance.

Cota drew headlines earlier this month after refusing to participate in the district’s mandatory Native American lands acknowledgement ritual. Currently, the Board starts its meeting with “In partnership with the Tribes who called Phoenix their home first, we acknowledge and respect the land our schools are built on.” Cota attempted to recite the Lord’s Prayer instead, resulting in the board’s parliamentarian interrupting him, and Board President Ceyshe Napa declaring him out of order.

Cota, who is a registered member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, explained his reasoning in an exclusive statement to the Arizona Globe:

“As a governing board, it is important we follow Robert’s Rules of Order for proper and appropriate governance. It’s essentially a rulebook to ensure fair governance. It’s important in boards such as Phoenix Union, when you have widely varying viewpoints, following Robert’s Rules of Order ensures all voices are fairly heard. The land acknowledgements are mandatory to be read by the board at each meeting due to board policy. The land acknowledgements essentially ascribe blanket victimhood status to Native Americans simply for being Native and saying we are on ‘stolen land.’ As a Native American, and an enrolled member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, these blanket statements are highly offensive. I refused to read the land acknowledgement because I refuse to ascribe victimhood status to other Native Americans or myself simply for being Native.”

Cota was also critical of the Board’s school safety processes following the recent tragedy at Maryvale High School. In an August 21, 2025, letter to Board President Napa, he pushed for the immediate addition of school resource officers across district campuses. The letter read:

“It is with a heavy heart and somber reflection that I write to you today. In light of the recent and tragic passing of a Maryvale High School student, I respectfully ask for the reconsideration of a previously voted on agenda item concerning school safety. I believe it is imperative that we take immediate action by securing additional school resource officers and ensuring their presence across all Phoenix Union High School District campuses, for the foreseeable future.

I am disappointed, as a board member, to witness that my previous efforts to prioritize school safety have gone unacknowledged. I raised these concerns during the special meeting on June 17, 2025, the board retreat on July 18, 2025, and again at the regular meeting on August 7, 2025. At each of these meetings, I called for greater attention to school safety and requested additional school resource officers on our Phoenix Union campuses.

I am disheartened by the board’s prior decision to reject the addition of school resource officers through a recorded vote. These actions reflect a stunning reluctance to prioritize the safety of students and staff. I cannot be more clear, our district has failed a Maryvale High School family and the community this week.

With that in mind, I ask that this request be considered for immediate action as an agenda item at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.”

Cota’s early tenure highlights sharp contrasts between his insistence on accountability and tradition, and the Board’s liberal majority’s preference for symbolic gestures and looser interpretations of board procedures. Whether on matters of faith, fairness, or student safety, Cota has positioned himself as a clear and unflinching advocate for transparency and real action, a perspective likely to continue stirring debate within one of Arizona’s largest school districts.