Moreno Valley Unified teacher’s fate uncertain following anti-Trump rant in classroom

Supporters and critics of a Moreno Valley history teacher who was placed on leave after a profane anti-Trump rant in class clashed over his fate at Tuesday’s Moreno Valley Unified District board meeting.

The Valley View High School teacher called the president-elect a “rapist draft-dodging coward” during a lecture for his AP history students on Nov. 6. He told them Black and Latino voters didn’t support Kamala Harris because she has a “vagina and uterus,” and claimed that Latino voters who support Trump want to be white.

The teacher has been placed on administrative leave while the incident is under investigation, according to a Moreno Valley Unified School District spokesperson.

Tuesday’s board meeting reached a fever pitch as some parents demanded that he be fired, while multiple students asked the district to consider their teacher’s character and not judge his entire career on one incident.

“I believe that the way he approached it was a little unprofessional,” student Ezell Moreno said before the board meeting. “I believe that he had good faith, but is he going to be fired for one incident when he’s done so many good things throughout his time as a teacher?”

The school district did not identify the teacher and did not take any actions regarding his future as an educator. Students identified him as Maximiliano Perez, a history teacher who has participated in multiple school clubs, including the chess club. He could not be reached for comment.

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In a recording of his lecture that was shared by a conservative commentator on X, Perez asked his students pointed questions about a second Trump presidency, but did not seem to invite a discourse as he railed against the once and future president.

“Can you end up with no human rights? Yes. Will it happen to you? Most likely not. Which is a good thing, but has Donald Trump quoted Hitler? Yes. Does he embody some of Hitler’s ideas? Yes,” he told his students in the video.

Five students expressed their support for Perez at the board meeting, describing him as a dedicated teacher who encourages independent thinking and cares deeply about the well-being of his students.

One student, Jailene Bailey, even credited him with saving her life by offering support when she was struggling with her mental health.

“Mr. Perez saved my life and helped me further pursue my education by telling me that I matter in the sea of thousands of students, and I believe that he has the power to help other students just as he helped me,” she said. “I really hope that in the future I will still be able to see him and give him the biggest smile and wave.”

But several parents and other adults in the Moreno Valley community said that Perez’s inappropriate and racially charged outburst merits serious disciplinary action.

“I’m here to complain about the teacher that had the vulgar political language,” said Oscar Avila. “I say you strip him, he can’t work with schools anymore, remove him of his duties.”

As a Latino, Avila said he was especially upset by Perez’s recorded comments telling Latino students that a lot of their fathers, uncles, and grandfathers “want to be white.”

Student Joel Mata acknowledged that Perez’s recent behavior “is not to be dismissed,” but asked school board members to focus on students’ testimony of his character.

Mata said that, counter to narratives being presented online, Perez does not force his beliefs on his students.

“‘I don’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat, join your party and make it better,’ this is a direct quote from Mr. Perez, the so-called indoctrinator at our school,” said Mata.

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Student Damian Ayonn said that Perez is an “essential figure for many students here, not just as an educator, but as a mentor, a supporter and a guide through some of the most challenging moments of our lives.”

He urged the school board to consider the “profound impact” that Perez has had on the Valley View community and realize that “his absence would leave a gap in our lives that no other teacher could fill.”

Kenneth Prado, a trustee in the neighboring Hemet Unified School District who was speaking in his capacity as an individual, said the students’ speeches didn’t change his opinion.

“I’ve heard students sit here and say how they admire him as a teacher,” said Prado. “That may be so, but when you’re in a position like that, you are held up to a bigger standard.”

Community member Fred Banuelos, who attended the meeting in a “Trump 2024” T-shirt, said that Perez’s outburst and use of profanity were unacceptable.

“There’s got to be consequences for things that you say,” he said. “I’m not sure if you should get fired, but … there needs to be some major consequences.”

Several dozen students walked out of class Tuesday morning in protest and asked the school district to reinstate their teacher, according to video from OnSceneTV.

“At the end of the speech, he offered everybody a hug or if they wanted to talk about it further,” student Devonee Casas said. “They twisted his narrative into believing something else.”

“I think this was taken completely out of context, and it made him look bad,” said student Jada Carroll, who was in class during the lecture. “I’m proud of our school for speaking up about this. It’s good to see that people truly do care.”