Paradise Valley Unified School District faces federal civil rights complaint

A federal civil rights complaint has been filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights against the Paradise Valley Unified School District in Scottsdale, Arizona. The complaint, submitted by the Anti-Defamation League and Reed Smith LLP, alleges that the district failed to address persistent antisemitic harassment directed at a 14-year-old Jewish student at Desert Shadows Middle School.

The filing claims the student was targeted by at least five peers between April and May 2026. Alleged incidents include the use of antisemitic slurs, threats involving concentration camps, and a Heil Hitler salute. The harassment reportedly culminated in a physical assault on the last day of school, where the student was allegedly shoved into a cabinet.

The complaint further alleges that school officials responded with dismissiveness and delay. Specific allegations include a teacher stating the slurs were “not his problem,” administrators refusing to contact parents due to being “too busy,” and an assistant principal suggesting a perpetrator “probably had a crush on” the victim. The district is accused of violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by failing to remedy the pervasive harassment.