Hispanic parents demand action after teacher tells class Trump voters 'wish they were white'
'I am indigenous, and my family voted for Trump,' mom tells board
A Southern California school board found itself under fire this week after a high school teacher's inflammatory remarks about Latino voters who supported President-elect Donald Trump sparked outrage among parents and community members.
The teacher, identified as Maximiliano Perez, an AP World History teacher at Valley View High School in Moreno Valley, was placed on administrative leave after his profane and politically charged rant went viral on social media.
The controversy came to a head during a tense board meeting Tuesday at the Moreno Valley Unified School District (MVUSD), where several students, parents and residents voiced their anger over Perez's comments. Some came to his defense, while others demanded his removal and reprimands for his behavior.
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In his rant, Perez, who identified himself as Mexican-American, expressed his disdain for Latino voters who supported Trump, even suggesting that they were "trying to be white."
"I know a lot of Latino men that wish they were white, and they will never admit it to you," Perez said during the rant. "A lot of your fathers. A lot of your uncles. A lot of your grandfathers, … they want to be white so bad, but they never will be.
"I hate that. … I hate Latino men that oppress the women in their family, their own daughters, and they turn around and vote for a man that wants to oppress them."
At Tuesday's school board meeting, several attendees demanded that Perez face serious consequences for his actions.
One mother at the meeting, who identified as Bethany, asked the board whether Perez's behavior would be tolerated in classrooms going forward.
"Can you ensure every parent that is in the teacher's classroom that did all of those racial outbursts won't be bullied?" she asked. "Can you guarantee that every child who has that teacher, [whose] father or grandfather voted for President Trump, will they be bullied?"
The mom, who described herself as "Mexicana" and "Chicana," expressed her offense at Perez's words.
"To say that a Hispanic man wants to be white? I'm offended. Yo soy Mexicana. I am Chicana. I am indigenous, and my family voted for Trump," she said. "This teacher should be fired. There should be zero tolerance for hate speech," she added.
Kenneth Prado, a trustee from the nearby Hemet Unified School District, also condemned Perez's remarks, calling them racially divisive.
"The majority of your student population is Hispanic," he told the MVUSD board. "What you just did was make the most racist comment, to tell them that their fathers — blessed to have their fathers in their home, like myself — that if they voted for Trump, they only did it because they wish they were white. That is the worst of it all. Shame on him, and I know you will do your due process."
Oscar Avila, a Latino conservative who also spoke at the meeting, said Perez's actions went too far.
"He's cussing, he's calling people like us that are conservative, that we want to be white," Avila said. "I say you strip him; he can't work with schools anymore. Remove him of his duties."
Fred Banuelos, a Mexican-American Trump supporter, echoed these concerns, calling Perez's conduct "unacceptable."
"He said things that should have never been said. He used profane language, and it was just unacceptable," Banuelos said. "He has a right to say those things, but not at our schools. That was just crossing the line."
Banuelos called for "major consequences" to be imposed on the teacher.
"There needs to be some major consequences," he said.
While some students spoke out in defense of Perez, expressing support for his stance on political issues, the overwhelming sentiment at the meeting seemed to favor swift action against him.
The tension in the room was palpable as parents waited for over three hours before being given the opportunity to speak during the public comments section.
As the meeting continued, community members accused the board of trying to stifle dissent. Corey DeAngelis, executive director of the Educational Freedom Institute, initially shared the video of Perez's rant on social media and posted clips of the public comments from the meeting, including both images and audio.
On Nov. 9, the MVUSD board released a statement on social media stating that Perez was placed on administrative leave pending an "immediate investigation."
"We recognize the heightened emotions surrounding the current political climate and we deeply value the diversity of our community, which encompasses a wide range of perspectives and beliefs," the statement reads. "Our goal is to foster a respectful and inclusive learning environment that supports all students."
Exit polling suggests Trump secured the support of 46% of Latinos in 2024, including more than half of Hispanic males.
The incident at Moreno Valley came within days of a separate incident caught on video about 26 miles west of Valley View, where a high school teacher lashed out at a student for wearing a MAGA hat and referred to Christians as a "bunch of losers." The video emerged in the days after former President Donald Trump was elected to a second term.
A male teacher, later identified as Chino Valley High School English teacher and girls' golf coach Clyde Colinco, is heard harassing a student for wearing a Trump hat before demanding he leave the classroom.
The teacher is heard saying, "A child molester, huh? Vote for that freaking rapist. I have a daughter, three nieces, and he'd rape them, and people are voting for him. Christians are voting for him, bunch of losers. Fake Christians."
In response to the incident, Chino Valley School Board President Sonja Shaw, a member of Pastor Jack Hibbs' Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, told The Christian Post that the incident is being "properly investigated."
While Shaw declined to discuss details pending an active investigation, she added, "I want to assure you that this matter is being taken very seriously."
