The Mesa (Ariz.) Public Schools Governing Board voted 4-1 Monday to not renew the contracts of the school’s principal, Kirk Thomas, and athletic director David Klecka, over their roles in the delayed reporting of a gun on campus during a fight last February.
“Non-renewal is not disciplinary and this action is not a termination,” a district spokesperson said in an emailed statement, as reported by Arizona's Family (KTVK/KPHO).
The move doesn’t impact their current contracts, which end on June 30, but Thomas and Klecka are still on administrative leave, the district said.
“Mesa High School has a long and proud tradition, and this timing allows the district to conduct a thorough search to secure leadership moving forward,” the district said.
According to David Baker of Arizona's Family, police said a fight involving a gun broke out on campus Feb. 12, 2025, during a soccer game. According to investigators, Thomas and Klecka did not report the fight to police because they did not want a police presence at the school.
Related: High School Principal, AD on Leave, Charged After Failing to Report On-Campus Gun Incident
Police submitted misdemeanor charges against Thomas and Klecka for allegedly failing to follow mandatory reporting requirements. An attorney representing Thomas and Klecka said changes to the mandatory reporting law didn’t go into effect until after the fight and claimed there wasn’t a substantiated threat of a gun on campus.
Eric Beaumont, a former Mesa High School security guard, said Klecka told him not to call the police. The next day, Beaumont said he called a fellow security guard and both contacted the Mesa High School resource officer. He said he lost his job because of it, Baker reported.
