Peoria superintendent responds to alleged teacher misconduct scandal

PEORIA, AZ (AZFamily) — The superintendent of a West Valley college district is responding to latest allegations of a teacher misconduct scandal that has been on the middle of native and nationwide media protection.

Dr. KC Somers, Superintendent of Peoria Unified School District, launched a letter to dad and mom responding to allegations that two former Centennial High School lecturers, Haley Beck and Angela Burlakahad sexual encounters with the identical underage pupil.

According to the Peoria police report, the case got here to gentle after the sufferer’s grandmother discovered an express video of Burlaka on her grandson’s telephone. Burlaka is accused of recording movies of herself bare by which she mentioned the coed’s title.

Beck began offering “quid pro quo” advantages for the connection, officers mentioned. During the summer season, the district’s investigative report mentioned Beck exchanged greater than 4,000 texts with the coed by which they mentioned oral intercourse, assembly up to have intercourse, ingesting alcohol, smoking marijuana and recording sexual acts and exhibiting them to different college students.

Somers mentioned within the letter that the Peoria Police Department investigated the allegations and located that the preliminary info on the time “did not meet the legal threshold for reasonable suspicion of abuse.” However, when extra info got here to gentle, the investigation was relaunched and Peoria police submitted their findings to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. The circumstances are currently under review by MCAO.

Burlaka he labored on the college for 25 years, and beck was employed in 2020. Burlaka voluntarily surrendered her Arizona educating certificates. Beck didn’t, and the Peoria Unified School District Governing Board unanimously voted to fire her.

Beck’s certificates stays below investigation and is pending earlier than the State Board of Education, in accordance to Dr. Somers.

The superintendent shared help for Centennial Principal Scott Hollabaugh, stating that he “has the full support of the Peoria Unified School District’s administration.”

In response to the allegations, Dr. Somers mentioned the district is reinforcing protocols about how workers reply to pupil security, together with any info that’s handed by college students, social media or the group.

“The Coyote community is built by the families, students, and staff who show up for one another year after year. What has happened does not change that, and it does not define the people who walk into that building every day to do right by your children,” a portion of Dr. Somers’ assertion reads.

“I am grateful for the trust you place in our schools, and I am committed, as is every member of the district team, to maintaining a safe, supportive, and excellent learning environment for every student,” he added.

Anyone with details about the case or issues about pupil security ought to contact the Peoria Police Department or the district workplace at 623-486-6000.

Dave Baker and Micaela Marshall contributed to this report.

Read Dr. Somers’ full letter under:

April 27, 2026

Dear Centennial Families,

I’m writing to you immediately since you deserve a transparent message out of your superintendent, in my very own phrases, in regards to the matter that has been the topic of latest media protection and on-line dialog.

Student security is the muse of every part we do at Peoria Unified. It is the usual I’m held to, the usual I maintain our principals and workers to and the usual it’s best to count on each time you ship your youngster to one among our colleges. With that as the start line, here’s what is established and what’s occurring now.

The Facts

The Peoria Police Department investigated this matter and, on April 2, 2026, communicated in writing that there isn’t a indication district officers failed to meet their obligations as obligatory reporters below Arizona legislation. Their conclusion was that the data out there on the time issues have been initially raised didn’t meet the authorized threshold for cheap suspicion of abuse. When info later developed that met that threshold, legislation enforcement was notified and the investigation proceeded. The Police Department has submitted its findings to the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office for overview.

The district’s inner overview of how these issues have been dealt with administratively reached the identical conclusion concerning the authorized reporting normal. Where that overview recognized administrative issues separate from the obligatory reporting query, these have been addressed by applicable personnel motion.

Through the District’s Title IX course of, Ms. Haley Beck was discovered accountable for violating Governing Board Policy on sexual harassment, and termination was beneficial. On March 26, 2026, the Governing Board adopted a Statement of Charges to terminate her employment. The Arizona Department of Education accepted Ms. Angela Burlaka’s voluntary give up of her educating certification on January 26, 2026, and was terminated by Peoria Unified efficient the identical day. Both issues have been submitted to the Arizona Department of Education’s Investigative Unit. Ms. Beck’s certificates stays below investigation and pending earlier than the State Board of Education.

I acknowledge that a few of these processes — Title IX, personnel motion, legal overview, state certification overview — are unfamiliar to most households, and that the time they take can really feel at odds with the urgency you rightly really feel. I perceive that. These are the methods that exist to be certain outcomes are authorized and sturdy, and we’ve got used each one among them.

Information Circulating Online

There is a superb deal being mentioned in public areas proper now, a few of it correct, a few of it not. I’m not going to spend this letter responding to each declare. What I’ll say is that this: the district has acted, is appearing, and can proceed to act on the premise of information, legislation and the tasks entrusted to us by this group. There are limits on what we are able to share publicly whereas legal overview and state certification processes are pending, and people limits exist to shield the integrity of the very processes that households rightly need to see accomplished. We will proceed to share what we are able to, once we can.

How to Report a Concern

If you, your youngster, or somebody you recognize has info related to this matter or any concern about pupil security, please act on it.

If a baby is in speedy hazard, name 911.

The Arizona Department of Child Safety hotline is 1-888-767-2445, out there 24 hours a day, seven days every week. Information about reporting is accessible at https://dcs.az.gov/report-child-abuse.

You can also contact the Peoria Police Department, your college administration immediately, or the district workplace at 623-486-6000, and the data can be routed to the folks accountable for dealing with it.

Moving Forward

Centennial High School, below the continued management of Principal Scott Hollabaugh, stays targeted on its college students and its mission – and he has the total help of the Peoria Unified School District’s administration. Teachers are educating. Coaches are teaching. Counselors are supporting children. The overwhelming majority of what occurs at Centennial daily is the extraordinary, necessary work of teaching younger folks, and that work has not stopped.

Across the district, we’re reinforcing protocols for the way workers reply to issues about pupil security, together with any info that reaches them by college students, social media, or group report. Every workers member is aware of, and is reminded that the usual for reporting is affordable perception, not certainty, and that the district helps workers who report issues in good religion.

The Coyote group is constructed by the households, college students, and workers who present up for each other yr after yr. What has occurred doesn’t change that, and it doesn’t outline the individuals who stroll into that constructing daily to do proper by your youngsters. I’m grateful for the belief you place in our colleges, and I’m dedicated, as is each member of the district workforce, to sustaining a protected, supportive, and wonderful studying atmosphere for each pupil.

Thank you on your continued partnership.

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