A group of parents and teens in the Scottsdale Unified School District is planning a rally Tuesday evening to defend their superintendent who has come under criticism for comments he made about race and equity in 2019. The most serious accusation against Scott Menzel stems from a quote taken out of context, Menzel said.
The district hired Menzel to be superintendent in 2020. While previously working as a superintendent in Michigan, Menzel provided a lengthy interview to the political blog Torchlight Media about equity, inclusion and social justice (EISJ). Some conservatives rail against EISJ, saying it disproportionately emphasizes demographics, particularly race, in American society.
Three Arizona Republican state lawmakers whose jurisdictions include Scottsdale – Representatives Joseph Chaplik, Alexander Kolodin and Senator John Kavanagh – were so bothered by Menzel’s comments, they wrote an open letter to the district in January calling for Menzel to resign or be fired.
