After a battle between Fresno Unified and the Fresno Teachers Association became public, the district’s chief communications officer announced on social media she’s left the district.

Former Communications Chief Nikki Henry on LinkedIn said that Monday was her last day with the district. The district’s Wednesday board agenda removed Henry’s name from the chief communications position.

Neither the district nor board members immediately responded to requests for comment.

“Today is the end of one chapter and the beginning of the next,” Henry said. “After nearly six years of human-centered, strategy-driven work at Fresno Unified, today is my official last day.”

On the post, she took responsibility for a nine-page document that contained 39 instances of fabricated personal attacks by the union against the district’s new superintendent, Misty Her. It was later revealed that Henry used artificial intelligence to create the quotes, none of which was real.

“I produced a doc that was never meant to be shared beyond six people, it was a rough draft, and an attempt to say: ‘Hey, we’re off track. Let’s do something different, together for our students, staff, and community.’ ”

Manuel Bonilla, president of the Fresno Teachers Association, however, said the district still has not taken responsibility for the fabricated quotes. Bonilla said calling the fabricated statements “rough drafts” is a way to “excuse deliberate misinformation.”

“Let’s be honest, without public exposure, the district likely would have let the lies stand,” Bonilla said in a statement to GV Wire. “And that raises a deeper concern: How often does something like this happen in the shadows?”

‘I Didn’t Pause to Fact Check. I Should Have’

Years of strife between the district and its teachers boiled over shortly after board members promoted Her from interim superintendent. An official Facebook post, now removed, attacked the Fresno Teachers Association and its executive director, Louis Jamerson.

Henry defended that post, saying that while the messaging targeting Jamerson and his salary was not typical for the district, it was reflective of what they thought were similar tactics from the union.

Controversy came to a head, however, when Her requested a document from Henry outlining all of the instances in which the union criticized the superintendent.

GV Wire then revealed the nine-page document created by Henry used artificial intelligence to create the quotes. Henry, in her Monday post, took ownership of the mistake.

“If you’ve seen a certain headline or two…yes. That was me,” Henry said. “Here’s what happened: I moved too fast under pressure. I trusted an AI tool and trusted an ‘off-the-record’ meeting (rookie move, I know).

“It wasn’t perfect. And I didn’t pause to fact check. I should have. That one’s on me,” she wrote.

On May 30, GV Wire reported that Henry was on leave from her $198,000 a-year salaried position. With benefits, she was earning $272,000 annually.

Henry said in her LinkedIn post Monday: “I don’t know exactly what’s next. A CEO role? My own consulting firm? RV trip to figure it all out while my toddler throws goldfish at me? All possibilities.”

‘Superintendent Her Should Admit the Statements Were False,’ Bonilla Says

Bonilla criticized what appeared to him to be a refusal to take responsibility for fabricated and false statements.

After the document became public, Her made statements to two local TV news stations. The first statement stood by the quotes, telling ABC 30 “the gist of it was there.”

To KSEE 24, Her appeared more apologetic. The district has not responded to multiple requests for comment from GV Wire on the subject.

Bonilla called on Her to correct the record.

“There is no ‘gist’ in a complete fabrication,” Bonilla said. “To move forward, Superintendent Her should admit the statements were false.”