Who is James Knox? Queen Creek school district rocked by scandal over 'horrible' Kamala Harris posts

Queen Creek: A scandal has engulfed the Queen Creek Unified School District following the discovery of inflammatory social media posts made by school board member James Knox. The posts, shared on Knox's public Facebook page, have sparked outrage within the community, particularly for their derogatory comments about Vice President Kamala Harris.

Community backlash

During a recent school board meeting, concerned parents and community members voiced their disapproval of Knox's posts, labeling them as "degrading" and "horrible". One parent, who spoke out at the meeting, emphasized the need for accountability, stating, "Someone has to speak up and say something. We can't just roll our eyes and do nothing."

The posts in question, which were visible to Knox's more than 4,000 Facebook followers, included insinuations that Vice President Harris had performed sexual favors to advance her career. This content has drawn particular ire from parents, who worry about the example it sets for young women in the community.

Knox's response

Knox has defended his actions, dismissing the criticism as misplaced. "They want to focus on some post I put up here and there rather than what really matters in our district? I think they are misdirected where they should put their energy," Knox stated in response to the backlash.

District's position

The controversy has also highlighted a potential double standard within the district's social media policies. While the district's policy prohibits employees from posting discriminatory or offensive content, it does not extend the same restrictions to elected school board members.

This discrepancy has led to calls for reform, with critics arguing that Knox should be held to the same standards as other district representatives. The district has distanced itself from Knox's posts, with a spokesperson stating that the posts "do not represent the district or reflect its values".

Moving Forward

Samantha Davis, vice president of the QCUSD school board acknowledged Knox's role in approving the district's social media policy and criticized the double standard, calling it "unacceptable". As Knox is an elected official, any potential consequences will ultimately be decided by the voters.

"Because he's elected, it will be up to the voters to decide whether or not this is something they really want representing them on the school board," said Davis.