PHOENIX — Just days after the tragic fatal stabbing of a student at Maryvale High School, Arizona Rep. Lydia Hernandez and her daughter Cassandra Hernandez are facing backlash after allegedly attempting to bring a boxcutteronto the campus earlier this week, according to officials with the Phoenix Union High School District (PUHSD).
Rep. Hernandez, who represents Arizona’s 24th Legislative District and also serves as the governing board president of the Cartwright School District, was accompanied by her daughter Cassandra, an elected member of that same board. District officials say the pair tried to test the school’s weapon detection system by attempting to carry the blade through security on Monday.
Details of the alleged incident
According to a statement from PUHSD, the school’s Safety Team detected the item after an alarm was triggered. A secondary search of a bag believed to belong to Cassandra Hernandez revealed the boxcutter inside.
“The Maryvale High School Safety Team secured the box cutter, and a team member escorted both individuals out of the office and off-campus,” the district said in a Wednesday announcement.
Officials allege that Rep. Hernandez recorded herself and her daughter entering the school and setting off alarms, while questioning staff about the system’s settings. Hernandez reportedly told staff she was “testing” the detection systemafter the item was confiscated.
The district said it is reviewing the situation and may pursue legal action, including criminal charges and banning both women from returning to district campuses.
Calls for resignation
The incident has sparked immediate political fallout. Phoenix City Councilmembers Betty Guardado and Anna Hernandez issued a joint statement Wednesday calling on the pair to resign from their positions.
“Their actions disrupted the fragile environment at Maryvale High School, were a blatant disregard for safety and school protocol, and were gravely insensitive to the students, families, and school staff still mourning the Maryvale student who died last week,” the councilmembers wrote.
They added that targeting a school still recovering from trauma showed a “failure of judgment, responsibility, and leadership.”
Context: A community still reeling
The controversy comes just one week after the death of 16-year-old Michael Montoya II, who was fatally stabbed in a classroom at Maryvale High School. Another 16-year-old, Chris Aguilar, has been arrested and accused of killing Montoya with a pocketknife, according to Phoenix police.
In the wake of that tragedy, Maryvale High shifted to virtual learning for the remainder of the week, and questions have been raised about the school’s weapons detection system.
Next steps
As the investigation continues, PUHSD says it will prioritize the safety of its students and staff while determining whether further action should be taken against the lawmaker and her daughter.
