Saguaro High School administrator resigns after allegations of inappropriate messages

An administrator at Saguaro High School resigned this week after facing accusations that he inappropriately messaged a student at a Scottsdale middle school on social media.

The Scottsdale Unified School Board accepted Saguaro Athletic Director Lucas Ackerson’s resignation on Tuesday after he was accused of sending messages to the student through a social media app.

In a statement, the district says administrators, staff and teachers are prohibited from contacting students outside of approved platforms.

“This expectation aligns with guidance from the Arizona State Board of Education, which is shared with staff annually as part of required training and explicitly reminds school personnel to avoid private or informal electronic communications with students,” according to the statement. “Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries is essential to protecting students and staff alike and ensuring safe, accountable communication practices.”

The district reported the incident to the Arizona Board of Education and Scottsdale police.

The student’s father addressed the board at its meeting this week and urged it to accept the resignation. He says the district acted quickly to remove Ackerson from campus when the messages came to light.

“We walked into the Saguaro office unannounced and within an hour, Ackerson was led off campus,” he said.

KJZZ is not disclosing the father’s name to preserve the student’s privacy.

The district did not disclose the nature of the messages.

The student’s father told the board that they initially viewed Ackerson, who previously worked at a district middle school, as a mentor.

“But it turned out to be a predatory type thing,” he told the board.

A Scottsdale police spokesman says the incident was documented but no criminal investigation is taking place because there is not sufficient evidence that a crime occurred.