Santa Fe Public Schools superintendent resigns amid sexual harassment allegations

Santa Fe Public Schools superintendent Hilario “Larry” Chavez resigned Friday following allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation made by a former assistant principal and sitting Santa Fe city councilor, according to a news release by the school district and the woman’s attorneys.

Chavez’s resignation, issued Thursday, was unanimously accepted Friday by the Santa Fe Public Schools Board of Education during a special meeting, according to the release. Former SFPS Superintendent Veronica Garcia will serve on an interim basis until a new leader is appointed by July 1, the release said.

The development comes following allegations by Amanda Chavez — no relation to Larry Chavez — that Larry Chavez made sexual advances toward her in text messages from his district-issued phone between 2022 and 2024, according to a statement issued by her attorneys, John Day and Joleen Youngers, on Feb. 14, when she resigned as assistant principal and teacher at Santa Fe High School.

Larry Chavez did not respond to a request for comment Friday. But in an email to the board on Thursday requesting to use personal leave and resign, which was approved by the board, he said, “I wish SFPS all the best!”

The situation allegedly involving Larry Chavez “remains an ongoing personnel matter,” according to a statement on behalf of the board, which added that it cannot respond to the allegations previously reported in the media, including whether any of the allegations have been “sustained.”

Amanda Chavez had filed a complaint against Larry Chavez with the school district on Dec. 6 and her attorneys say the district told her that her allegations were “substantiated.” But Amanda Chavez was then placed on administrative leave, fueling social media rumors that she was the subject of the investigation, Day and Youngers said in their statement.

SFPS Board President Roman Abeyta said in a statement that the board “took these allegations very seriously from the start, and we seek to ensure fairness to all parties.” Abeyta did not immediately respond to a request from the Journal seeking comment.

According to her attorneys, Amanda Chavez, a former Albuquerque Public Schools teacher, said she received messages from Larry Chavez in which he allegedly asked her for sex in exchange for “favors” he had given her at work.

Larry Chavez asked Amanda Chavez to meet him in a hot tub so he could “see her parts,” Day and Youngers said in an interview.

“I would love to show you a good time one day or night,” Larry Chavez is quoted as saying in a text message provided to the Journal.

In another text message, Larry Chavez is quoted as saying, “No pressure, and it’s okay to be scared.”

He added, “I will be collecting (favors) soon,” according to another text message.

Larry Chavez provided Amanda Chavez his phone number for her to call “when you’re ready,” a text message provided to the Journal said.

Amanda Chavez rejected his advances, which she said resulted in district employees retaliating against her by harassing her and denying her work opportunities, Day and Youngers said in a statement announcing their client’s resignation. That behavior by the district had not occurred before Amanda Chavez rejected the then-superintendent, the attorneys said in an interview.

The former assistant principal and teacher is “devastated over having to leave a job she loves,” Day said in an interview.

“She hates being away from the kids,” Youngers said in an interview. “She’s worried they’re going to feel she’s abandoning them.”

But Amanda Chavez believes she had to leave to push back against sexual harassment not only for herself but to be an example to her students, according to Day.

“In her mind, she can’t just sit back and remain quiet when she’s being sexually harassed by her supervisor,” Day said. “She has to show by example what you do, even if it’s painful and difficult.”

Youngers and Day said they are gathering evidence in a case to present to the New Mexico Human Rights Bureau. Once that is resolved, a lawsuit could be filed.

“There certainly is smoke and some fire, but we don’t know how big the fire is yet,” Youngers said of the evidence she and Day have collected so far.