Calls for Resignation of Arizona School Board Member Over Nazi Salute

A member of the Arizona school board is under pressure to resign after an incident at a public meeting where she performed a Nazi salute. During this meeting, she drew a comparison between the school board president and a dictator, stating, “All I could think about tonight was Hitler.”

The event took place on May 26 at a meeting of the Deer Valley Unified School District Board of Supervisors. Video footage shows board member Kimberly Fisher raising her arm while saying “heil, heil” amidst an argument with board president Paul Carver Jr.

This exchange came towards the end of the meeting, which revolved around scheduling a community study session on district boundaries. Fisher objected to the proposed afternoon timing, suggesting it would hinder community participation.

Carver later explained that he chose to cancel the session because the discussion strayed from the posted agenda, potentially violating Arizona’s open meeting law.

“I called for an adjournment because the discussion turned into a topic not on the agenda, which could have implications under the Arizona Open Meetings Act,” he said in a Facebook video after the meeting.

Fisher continued to assert her concerns in a Facebook livestream right after the meeting, criticizing Carver’s leadership as authoritarian. She went so far as to say, “For a long time, we’ve essentially lived under or operated under a dictatorship.” At one point, she mentioned historical dictators, specifically recalling Pol Pot and, again, Hitler.

The Deer Valley Unified School District officials condemned Fisher’s actions, stating that she acted independently and her views do not represent the district’s stance. “We do not condone gestures or language associated with hatred or discrimination,” they said. They emphasized that such behavior is at odds with the district’s mission and vision.

The Deer Valley Educators Association also expressed outrage, calling for Fisher’s resignation. Association president Kelly Fischer voiced strong disapproval: “A leader who gives a Nazi salute during a school board meeting is unfit for office. There is no justification for this behavior.” She urged Fisher to resign to prevent further harm to students and the community.

Following the incident, Carver stated that community members questioned why disciplinary action wasn’t taken against Fisher. He explained that Arizona laws limit the disciplinary authority of school boards over elected members.

Carver characterized Fisher’s behavior as “rampant and repetitive” while stressing that it was “totally unacceptable and unprofessional.” He reiterated that schools and districts in Arizona lack the ability to discipline board members effectively.

The Deer Valley Unified School District serves over 33,000 students across northern Maricopa County.