Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Fresno Unified's Misty Her Says She Was Assaulted. Police Have No Reports
Edward Smith updated website photo 2024
By Edward Smith
Published 2 days ago on
June 3, 2025

Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her said teacher union criticisms have fueled racist and sexist comments against her, as well as physical assault. Police have no assault reports. (GV Wire Composite)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Fresno Unified Superintendent Misty Her recently said a Facebook post from the Fresno Teachers Association led to her being physically assaulted.

“That post caused things to happen to me physically,” Her told ABC 30. “People were coming up to me and physically putting hands on me and referencing the post.”

Despite the quotes being false, Superintendent Misty Her stood by the dossier. She also said that the teachers union’s criticisms of district policy have led to threats to her personal safety.

But Fresno, Clovis, and Sanger police say they can’t find any reports of attacks involving the superintendent after April 29, the day the FTA post was created.

And, a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson said the agency could not recall any instance involving the superintendent, but if it did, nothing would be disclosed because of privacy laws.

Fresno Unified did not respond to multiple requests from GV Wire for comment.

Her Says She’s Received Threats, Harassment, Hate-Filled Messages

Her said an FTA Facebook contest to guess the superintendent’s salary spurred the attacks against her. Her responded to that contest from her Facebook profile with her salary.

The statement to ABC30 came after Her admitted to telling her communications office to create a dossier containing every instance FTA leadership made “personal attacks” against the superintendent. It was later revealed that all the quotes attributed to FTA were fabricated using artificial intelligence.

“It feels to me a way to try to silence valid criticism moving forward.” — Fresno Teachers Association President Manuel Bonilla

The person responsible for creating the AI-fabricated dossier, district chief communications officer Nikki Henry, is on administrative leave until June 9. Wednesday’s closed session board agenda includes a “public employee discipline, dismissal, release, reassignment, resignation” item.

Despite the quotes being false, Her stood by the dossier. She also said that the teachers union’s criticisms of district policy have led to threats to her personal safety.

During her official announcement as superintendent on April 23, Her and several Fresno Unified trustees also made repeated claims that the superintendent and her family had been threatened.

“Since declaring myself as a candidate for the superintendency over the past several months, my family and I have faced harassment, threats, and hate-filled messages simply because I wanted to compete fairly simply because I was daring to lead,” Her said during her acceptance speech. “I have been the recipient of racist and sexist threats, and I’m going to tell you, this is not politics. This is not harmless, and this is not acceptable.”

Board President Valerie Davis told GV Wire on April 23 that the FBI was looking into the threats. A request made to the FBI for comment was not returned before publication of this story. The FBI rarely confirms whether or not an investigation is underway.

Fresno Unified Interprets Criticism as Attacks: FTA President

FTA President Manuel Bonilla told GV Wire that the FTA has been vocal about cuts to school programs and the school board’s superintendent search process.

Many of the fabricated quotes attributed to Bonilla related to the district’s decision to cut the Designated Schools Program. It’s a program that FTA has, in fact, labeled a success because it delivered additional instruction to students. However, the district axed Designated Schools, citing a need to make budget cuts and saying it didn’t live up to its early promise of increasing student achievement.

Other fake quotes in the dossier related to criticisms about the superintendent search process, which many community members wanted done publicly.

In his public comment  on April 23, Bonilla congratulated the superintendent, saying he wants her to succeed.

“I want you to hear me from the bottom of my heart,” Bonilla said at the meeting. “I wish you good luck because when the new superintendent succeeds, our city succeeds, our students succeed, and our region succeeds.”

Bonilla said construing criticism as personal attacks discourages discussion about real issues.

“When you frame things, valid criticisms, as personal attacks, then you go so far as to suggest these supposed personal attacks then lead to actual incidences, and then you don’t know how influential your voice is in inciting those incidences. It feels to me a way to try to silence valid criticism moving forward,” Bonilla said.

RELATED TOPICS:

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 Signs Proclamation Banning Travel From 12 Countries, CBS News Reports

DON'T MISS

Sunnyvale Pitmaster Smokes Fresno BBQ Competition for Golden Ticket to World Championships

DON'T MISS

What We Know About the Colorado Attack on Israeli Hostage Demonstrators

DON'T MISS

Visalia Motorists Take Note: Traffic Shift Coming to Riggin Avenue

DON'T MISS

Really, Secretary Rubio? I’m Lying About the Kids Dying Under Trump?

DON'T MISS

Judge Denies Release in Caleb Quick Killing. Defense Cites Alleged Assaults by Victim

DON'T MISS

Nebraska Is the Latest State to Ban Transgender Students From Girls’ Sports

DON'T MISS

US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution Demanding an Immediate Gaza Ceasefire

DON'T MISS

International Basketball Comes to Fresno: Armenia vs. Costa Rica

DON'T MISS

Wired Wednesday: A New Research Hub in Southeast Fresno?

UP NEXT

Sunnyvale Pitmaster Smokes Fresno BBQ Competition for Golden Ticket to World Championships

UP NEXT

What We Know About the Colorado Attack on Israeli Hostage Demonstrators

UP NEXT

Really, Secretary Rubio? I’m Lying About the Kids Dying Under Trump?

UP NEXT

Judge Denies Release in Caleb Quick Killing. Defense Cites Alleged Assaults by Victim

UP NEXT

Nebraska Is the Latest State to Ban Transgender Students From Girls’ Sports

UP NEXT

US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution Demanding an Immediate Gaza Ceasefire

UP NEXT

International Basketball Comes to Fresno: Armenia vs. Costa Rica

UP NEXT

Wired Wednesday: A New Research Hub in Southeast Fresno?

UP NEXT

Fresno’s Southeast Plan Has a $2.2B Price Tag for Phase 1. Can the City Afford It?

UP NEXT

Trump: Putin Said Russia Would Respond to Ukraine Drone Attacks

Edward Smith,
Multimedia Journalist
Edward Smith began reporting for GV Wire in May 2023. His reporting career began at Fresno City College, graduating with an associate degree in journalism. After leaving school he spent the next six years with The Business Journal, doing research for the publication as well as covering the restaurant industry. Soon after, he took on real estate and agriculture beats, winning multiple awards at the local, state and national level. You can contact Edward at 559-440-8372 or at Edward.Smith@gvwire.com.

Visalia Motorists Take Note: Traffic Shift Coming to Riggin Avenue

16 hours ago

Really, Secretary Rubio? I’m Lying About the Kids Dying Under Trump?

16 hours ago

Judge Denies Release in Caleb Quick Killing. Defense Cites Alleged Assaults by Victim

16 hours ago

Nebraska Is the Latest State to Ban Transgender Students From Girls’ Sports

16 hours ago

US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution Demanding an Immediate Gaza Ceasefire

17 hours ago

International Basketball Comes to Fresno: Armenia vs. Costa Rica

18 hours ago

Wired Wednesday: A New Research Hub in Southeast Fresno?

19 hours ago

Fresno’s Southeast Plan Has a $2.2B Price Tag for Phase 1. Can the City Afford It?

20 hours ago

Trump: Putin Said Russia Would Respond to Ukraine Drone Attacks

20 hours ago

It’s Expensive to Become a Teacher in California. This Bill Would Pay Those Who Try

20 hours ago

Trump Signs Proclamation Banning Travel From 12 Countries, CBS News Reports

U.S. President Donald Trump signed a proclamation banning travel from certain countries, CBS News reported on Wednesday, citing administrati...

14 hours ago

14 hours ago

Trump Signs Proclamation Banning Travel From 12 Countries, CBS News Reports

14 hours ago

Sunnyvale Pitmaster Smokes Fresno BBQ Competition for Golden Ticket to World Championships

15 hours ago

What We Know About the Colorado Attack on Israeli Hostage Demonstrators

16 hours ago

Visalia Motorists Take Note: Traffic Shift Coming to Riggin Avenue

16 hours ago

Really, Secretary Rubio? I’m Lying About the Kids Dying Under Trump?

Fresno clovis caleb quick
16 hours ago

Judge Denies Release in Caleb Quick Killing. Defense Cites Alleged Assaults by Victim

16 hours ago

Nebraska Is the Latest State to Ban Transgender Students From Girls’ Sports

17 hours ago

US Vetoes UN Security Council Resolution Demanding an Immediate Gaza Ceasefire

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

Search

Send this to a friend