Fresno Unified Has Spent $370,000 Defending Trustee in Defamation Case. Mediation Underway.

Fresno Unified School District and Trustee Keshia Thomas are sitting down for mediation Monday in a four-year defamation lawsuit brought by former Bullard High School football coach Don Arax. The district has spent $370,000 in legal fees so far — $235,330 defending itself, $134,421 defending Thomas.

Arax sued after Thomas went on a local podcast in 2022 and claimed the coach used a racial slur against her son at a 2013 football camp. Arax denied it. The case is now in mediation with retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos R. Moreno.

The facts shifted recently. Albert Alford Jr., Thomas’ son, said in court filings he never told anyone — including his mother — that Arax used a racial slur. He later told media he “was not completely truthful” with Thomas when recounting the incident.

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Thomas issued a public apology. The Fresno Teachers Association called for her resignation. She’s also running for Fresno City Council District 3 in November. She’s refused to step down or drop out.

The district has been covering Thomas’ legal bills, but recent public comments suggest they may stop. Board president Veva Islas said she’s “waiting to be debriefed” and won’t comment until the board gets the latest update. Other trustees either cited “student achievement” or declined to comment on the legal matter.

The Breakdown

• Former coach Don Arax sued Fresno Unified and Trustee Keshia Thomas in 2022 over her podcast claim that he used a racial slur against her son at a 2013 football camp
• Arax denied the incident; Thomas’ son recently said he never told anyone the slur happened and was “not completely truthful” with his mother about the incident
• Fresno Unified has paid $235,330 defending itself and $134,421 defending Thomas through June 9 — $370,000 total in legal fees
• Mediation is happening Monday with retired California Supreme Court Justice Carlos R. Moreno; no word on whether a settlement offer exists
• Thomas apologized publicly but has refused to resign from the school board or drop her city council campaign

What This Means for You

You’re paying for this. Fresno Unified has spent $370,000 in taxpayer money defending a defamation case that hinges on a claim the trustee’s own son now says didn’t happen the way she said it did. That’s money that doesn’t go to classrooms, teachers, or programs.

Thomas is also asking voters in District 3 to elect her to city council in November while refusing to step down from the school board over this. The district’s own teachers’ union is calling for her resignation. Voters deciding that council race — and voters across Fresno Unified deciding whether to keep the rest of this board — are watching how this board handles one of its own when the bill lands on the public.

What to Watch

The district says it’s covering Thomas’ legal bills but may stop. If mediation produces a settlement, that conversation is moot — but if it doesn’t, the board will have to decide whether to keep paying or cut her loose. Either way, you’re entitled to know what the final tab is.

The bigger question: why did this cost $370,000 to defend when the underlying claim fell apart in discovery? The board owes an explanation for how a case with these facts ran up a bill this size, and whether anyone is reviewing how the district’s legal spending actually gets managed.