Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Clovis Unified Mourns Passing of Former Superintendent Terry Bradley

7 hours ago

Clovis At-Risk Missing Person Found Dead in Fresno Canal

7 hours ago

DOJ Asks California Sheriffs for Names of Inmates Who Aren’t Citizens

8 hours ago

Israel Agrees to Allow Syrian Troops Limited Access to Sweida

9 hours ago

Border Patrol Agents Raid a Home Depot in Northern California

9 hours ago

Man Admits to Killing Missing Bass Lake Resident, Madera County Authorities Say

1 day ago

Trump Diagnosed With Vein Condition Causing Leg Swelling, White House Says

1 day ago

US Seeks One-Day Sentence for Police Officer Convicted in Breonna Taylor Case

1 day ago

Manhattan Prosecutor Who Handled Epstein Cases Is Fired

1 day ago
Fresno Trustee Responds to Bullard Coach's Defamation Claim
NANCY WEBSITE HEADSHOT 1
By Nancy Price, Multimedia Journalist
Published 3 years ago on
June 16, 2022

Share

 

Fresno Unified Keshia Thomas says she’s sticking by her statements that Bullard football coach Don Arax has used racial slurs before her son and other Black students, which the coach has denied.

In response to Arax’s defamation claim submitted to the district, Thomas told GV Wire she’s confident that after a thorough review the claim “will be found to be baseless and without any merit.”

Thomas first publicly accused Arax of using racial slurs on GV Wire’s Unfiltered on May 17. The show’s focus was Bullard High School and racism, and it was aired two weeks after a photo of a Bullard student wearing what appeared to some to be a KKK hood was posted to social media and caused a firestorm of protests.

Arax called Thomas a “liar” and said he welcomed an investigation.

In his claim, Arax noted that contrary to what Thomas has said, her son — who she said reported the racial slur to her — was never a student at Bullard. The claim accused Thomas of having animosity toward Arax and his family, especially in connection over the renaming of Forkner Elementary, now named H. Roger Tatarian Elementary, and referenced a YouTube video snippet of a board meeting during the renaming discussion that accused Thomas of responding with “contempt and ridicule.”

Thomas Responds to Claim

In a statement released Wednesday to GV Wire, Thomas said:

“Although I am saddened by Coach Arax filing a complaint against me, I certainly welcome the investigation into my comments. I feel confident that after a thorough review that his claim will be found to be baseless and without any merit.

“On multiple occasions I advised Coach Arax to remove himself from this discussion, because he is a distraction to the issues that our Black students are facing, however against my advice to him he has decided to pursue this route. I also question Coach Arax’s unusual off hour fascination with me and my service as a Trustee. On multiple occasions I am sent messages from people in our community who are wondering why an employee of FUSD seems to be fixated on the only African American Trustee on the board who he continuously attacks on social media and now this make-shift YouTube video which is undoubtedly reading my mind with more accusations. I am now beginning to wonder about the fixation myself. Let’s not forget that I made the motion to rename Forkner to H. Roger Tatarian Elementary School.

“Lastly, my son was heavily sought after from high school coaches. As a Tenaya football team member he was invited to summer training for incoming freshman at no cost by the way. My son attended training at Bullard and it was at that time in which my son experienced the n-word being used towards player. He came home and said he refused to play for Bullard. So Mr Arax is correct he did not play for him.

“For the record I’ve done nothing wrong and the truth will ultimately be reported, and I certainly look forward to that day.”

Arax’s claim, which seeks damages in excess of $10,000, was on the agenda of Wednesday’s board meeting. The board voted 6-0-1 to follow the district recommendation to deny the claim and refer it to the district’s executive director of benefits and risk management for further review.

Thomas, noting that the claim includes references to herself and her son, abstained from voting.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Trump Sues Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Report, Seeks $10 Billion

DON'T MISS

Fresno Man Arrested for Home Invasion, Groping Sleeping Woman

DON'T MISS

Who is the Future US Attorney for Fresno? Two Big Names Say They’re Not Interested

DON'T MISS

Fresno Firefighters Rescue Girl Trapped in Chimney

DON'T MISS

Rubio Says 10 Americans Detained in Venezuela Have Been Released

DON'T MISS

US Firms to Develop Syria Energy Masterplan After Trump Lifts Sanctions

DON'T MISS

More than Severance: Fresno Unified Wants to Give $162K to Nikki Henry to End ‘Dispute’

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Man Accused of Chasing, Shooting Victim

DON'T MISS

What You Need to Know About Trump, Epstein and the MAGA Controversy

DON'T MISS

How Many Millions of Dollars Will Fresno Get From Airport Car Rentals?

UP NEXT

Clovis Unified Mourns Passing of Former Superintendent Terry Bradley

UP NEXT

Trump Diagnosed With Vein Condition Causing Leg Swelling, White House Says

UP NEXT

Connie Francis, Whose Ballads Dominated ’60s Pop Music, Dies at 87

UP NEXT

FDA Approves Juul’s Tobacco and Menthol E-Cigarettes

UP NEXT

7.3 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Alaska Coast. No Danger to California

UP NEXT

Age Is Just a Number: 80-Year-Old Conquers Death Valley to Mt. Whitney Ultramarathon

UP NEXT

Is US Democracy Threatened? Majority of Californians, Including Republicans, Say Yes

UP NEXT

US Senator Seeks Safety Reforms After Fatal Collision Between Army Helicopter, Regional Jet

UP NEXT

PBS and NPR Mount Last-Ditch Fight to Save Federal Funding

UP NEXT

Heinous, Heartbreaking, Expensive: California Schools Face Avalanche of Sex Abuse Claims

Nancy Price,
Multimedia Journalist
Nancy Price is a multimedia journalist for GV Wire. A longtime reporter and editor who has worked for newspapers in California, Florida, Alaska, Illinois and Kansas, Nancy joined GV Wire in July 2019. She previously worked as an assistant metro editor for 13 years at The Fresno Bee. Nancy earned her bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. Her hobbies include singing with the Fresno Master Chorale and volunteering with Fresno Filmworks. You can reach Nancy at 559-492-4087 or Send an Email

Fresno Firefighters Rescue Girl Trapped in Chimney

2 hours ago

Rubio Says 10 Americans Detained in Venezuela Have Been Released

3 hours ago

US Firms to Develop Syria Energy Masterplan After Trump Lifts Sanctions

4 hours ago

More than Severance: Fresno Unified Wants to Give $162K to Nikki Henry to End ‘Dispute’

4 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Man Accused of Chasing, Shooting Victim

4 hours ago

What You Need to Know About Trump, Epstein and the MAGA Controversy

5 hours ago

How Many Millions of Dollars Will Fresno Get From Airport Car Rentals?

5 hours ago

DOJ Wants California Jail Data on Noncitizen Inmates. Fresno Sheriff Reviews Request.

5 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Three in Drug Raid, Recover Firearms and Narcotics

6 hours ago

Valley Crime Stoppers’ Most Wanted Person of the Day: Lavisha Denise Beard

6 hours ago

Trump Sues Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Report, Seeks $10 Billion

President Donald Trump sued the Wall Street Journal and its owners including Rupert Murdoch on Friday, seeking at least $10 billion in damag...

12 minutes ago

President Donald Trump speaks during the White House Faith Office Luncheon at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 14, 2025. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
12 minutes ago

Trump Sues Wall Street Journal Over Epstein Report, Seeks $10 Billion

A Fresno man has been arrested on felony charges after allegedly breaking into a home, groping a sleeping woman, and fleeing with stolen items. (Fresno County SO)
12 minutes ago

Fresno Man Arrested for Home Invasion, Groping Sleeping Woman

1 hour ago

Who is the Future US Attorney for Fresno? Two Big Names Say They’re Not Interested

A juvenile girl was rescued early Thursday, July 17, 2025, after becoming trapped inside a chimney at a Fresno home and was hospitalized with minor injuries. (Fresno FD)
2 hours ago

Fresno Firefighters Rescue Girl Trapped in Chimney

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a nuclear cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony with Bahrain's Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani (not pictured), at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 16, 2025. (Reuters/Umit Bektas)
3 hours ago

Rubio Says 10 Americans Detained in Venezuela Have Been Released

Men work at a makeshift oil refinery site in Marchmarin town, southern countryside of Idlib, Syria December 16, 2015. (Reuters File)
4 hours ago

US Firms to Develop Syria Energy Masterplan After Trump Lifts Sanctions

4 hours ago

More than Severance: Fresno Unified Wants to Give $162K to Nikki Henry to End ‘Dispute’

Julian Nathaniel Benavidez was arrested in connection with a July 6 shooting in northwest Fresno that left one person injured. (Fresno PD)
4 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Man Accused of Chasing, Shooting Victim

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend