Goons suit costs CUSD principal her job
Apr. 14—Chandler Unified School District is seeking a new principal for Riggs Elementary School, replacing former Principal Jamie Lander, who is on leave after her stepson was named as a defendant in a civil case involving the Gilbert Goons.
A district spokesperson declined to elaborate why the district is advertising for a new principal for the school.
"We have more than one principal position open," District Spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll wrote in an email. "Job postings can be found on our website. As for personnel matters, we are unable to comment on those."
There are two principal openings on the CUSD website. In addition to Riggs, Carlson Elementary is also looking for one.
Lander went on leave shortly after Richard Kuehner filed a legal claim against the district and a separate civil lawsuit against alleged members of the Gilbert Goons and their parents.
Kuehner's son, a Perry High School student, was attacked by the Gilbert Goons on Aug. 18, 2023, at the Gilbert In-N-Out Burger. A video of the attack was posted online.
Kuehner's son is living with his mother in another country because of fears over his safety.
Lander's 16-year-old stepson is identified as playing a key role.
Her stepson told police he did not participate in the attack. He did provide them with a video of the beating, and it cuts offs just as the stepson is approaching the victim. Police reports said it appeared from his body language was that he was about to join in.
Police reports also said Lander had advised her stepson not to cooperate with detectives because she feared for his safety.
The job listing was posted on April 4 and the deadline to apply is April 15. The district told parents in an email that Pam Nephew would be filling in for Lander while she's on leave. The salary listed is nearly $94,000 per year, depending on experience.
Gilbert Goons is a name a group of teens gave itself in its group chat, according to one of the members. They have been identified as suspects in a number of beatings, some using brass knuckles.
Seven males identified with the group have been charged with the murder of Chandler resident Preston Lord, the 16-year-old Combs High School student who was beaten at a Halloween party last October and died two days later.
That death sparked a rise in awareness in the East Valley, with a group of mothers going through online videos to identify the members from the videos they posted of themselves committing crimes.
In the Kuehner attack, Gilbert police initially dropped the investigation in early October, citing a lack of evidence. Police reopened it in December after increased media and public attention on the Gilbert Goons.
Lander's stepson was interviewed with his parents inside Lander's office at Riggs Elementary in December.
She told police then that it appeared they wanted to make her stepson a "scapegoat" and that the only reason police were charging her stepson was because of increased media attention.
In his $6 million claim against CUSD, Kuehner says district officials were warned that his son had received death threats and they failed to do anything about it.
It also says Kuehner's son had to leave Perry because of Lander's stepson.
The suit contends that because she is an agent and employee of the district, Landers bears responsibility.
