Fresno Unified School Board member Keisha Thomas, left, with former Bullard High football coach Donnie Arax, right, in a composite photo.
ERIC PAUL ZAMORA
ezamora@fresnobee.com
Top Fresno Bee stories for Monday. Here’s what to know
The Fresno Bee’s coverage Monday brought a mix of education news across the local area, from mounting pressure on a Fresno Unified trustee tied to a defamation lawsuit to a Madera school employee under police investigation. The Fresno Bee also published Niche’s 2026 rankings of the top public schools in Fresno County. Here are the top stories of the day:
University High School, located on the Fresno State campus, has long been ranked as one of the best schools in the U.S. ERIC PAUL ZAMORA Fresno Bee Staff Photo Here are the top stories of the dayFresno teachers union says Keshia Thomas should resign after disclosure about racial slur: The Fresno Teachers Association is calling on trustee Keshia Thomas to resign after her son, Albert Alford Jr., said in a court declaration he never told his mother that former Bullard High coach Don Arax used a racial slur against him in 2013. Thomas made the allegation on a 2022 podcast, prompting Arax to file a defamation lawsuit. Fresno Unified has spent about $350,000 in legal fees defending Thomas and the district. FTA President Manuel Bonilla said trust in Thomas is “completely lost.”Madera school staff member on leave after racially charged video, police say: A staff member at Lincoln Elementary in the Madera Unified School District is on leave and under police investigation after posting a social media video threatening violence. District officials visited the employee’s home and issued a temporary restraining order. The Madera Police Department is working with the district on safety measures. Officials did not release the staff member’s name or role.What are the top public schools in Fresno County? Here’s the 2026 list: Hume Lake Charter School earned an A+ from Niche and topped the 2026 lists for best public elementary and middle schools in Fresno County. University High School in Fresno was named the county’s top public high school and ranked No. 13 statewide, while Clovis North took second locally. Kingsburg Joint Union High School District was named the No. 1 district in the Fresno area.
Original stories by David Taub, Anthony Galaviz and Gagandeep Singh
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