The Peoria Unified School District Governing Board voted 3-2 last week to ask the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to investigate allegations that a board member disclosed confidential information to a reporter. The board did not initially identify the member. At its Thursday meeting, former board president Heather Rooks said the allegations concerned a Sept. 22 television interview in which she criticized the district’s handling of an investigation involving Centennial High School. Rooks denied sharing information from a confidential executive session. She said she had discussed her concerns about accountability and the district’s response to the case, not private board discussions. Rooks also objected to how the matter was brought forward, saying it was added to the agenda at the last minute and that she had not received advance notice. She described the process as an ambush and left the meeting after the board voted to refer the allegations to the state. Board President Jeff Tobey said the board should not reach a final conclusion about whether a violation occurred, but that the questions warranted review by the Attorney General’s Office. He said the referral was intended to ensure board members are held to the same standards they expect of others. The dispute comes amid months of conflict on the board over allegations that former Centennial High School teachers Haley Beck and Angela Burlaka had inappropriate relationships with a male student. The district fired both teachers earlier this year, and they are under criminal investigation. Rooks, who was replaced as board president in May, has argued the district failed to meet mandatory reporting obligations. Tobey has said the district is providing police with needed information, while citing student privacy protections and attorney-client privilege as limits on what can be released publicly. The Attorney General’s Office will determine whether to investigate the confidential-information allegations. The board’s referral is not a finding that Rooks or any other member violated the law.