Scottsdale residents protest, urge Sen. Carine Werner to give up her school board seat
Based on reporting by Wayne Schutsky for KJZZ, published September 10, 2025.
Dozens of protesters gathered outside a Scottsdale Unified School District board meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 9, to demand that board member Carine Werner resign from the school board, KJZZ reported.
The protest came weeks after Werner, who attended an earlier board meeting virtually, was heard on a hot mic, KJZZ reported, calling a district employee morbidly obese. The remark came as the district's director of nutrition services presented on a program that provides meals to children over the summer.
Community members held signs outside the meeting calling for Werner's resignation. Scottsdale resident Peggy Kline called it outrageous for someone speaking for the district to disparage employees working to improve students' health. Another resident, Kathy Fishman, said board members should be working for children in a constructive way and that people want better leadership.
Many of the protesters then spoke during the meeting. Riley DeFusco, a district student, criticized Werner for not issuing a public apology. "Regardless of the context, your words were inappropriate, demeaning and cruel," DeFusco said.
Werner, who is also a state senator, did not attend the meeting, which drew more criticism from the community members seeking her resignation. She did not respond to KJZZ's requests for comment.