This morning, Gov. Jan Brewer signed HB2227, a measure that is a direct assault on Arizona’s most experienced teachers, proving once again that politics are more important to our current administration than keeping our most experienced teachers in our classrooms.
In adopting the FY2010 budget, the Legislature enacted several provisions aimed directly at teachers who dared to apply political pressure to Legislators to support public education in budget negotiations. In response to this blatant retaliation, the Arizona Education Association filed a lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of these changes, which included prohibiting employment policies based on seniority, and removing the requirement that teachers be re-hired in the order that they are laid off. Now, instead of an effort to reach a compromise, we have HB2227, which is nothing more than a mean-spirited measure to negate the pending lawsuit.
Meanwhile, school districts are laying off hundreds of teachers in response to budget cuts enacted by the Legislature, and the first ones to go are the most experienced (e.g. most expensive) educators. Without the requirement that previously laid off teachers be rehired prior to new ones, cheap labor is the name of the game. Simple economics dictate that you can hire two brand-new teachers for the price of one 30-year educator. The difference is that now those first-year teachers are going to be given classes of 35-40 students, perhaps even more. This is a disservice not only to our students, but to the new teachers as well. Without the experienced educators that they replaced to turn to, a novice teacher with a huge class will quickly burn out and likely leave the profession, worsening the already critical issue of teacher retention.
And where is our Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne? Out running for Attorney General. We need a Superintendent who will stand up for teachers and students when necessary. Politicians, political consultants, and lobbyists have occupied this post for the last 20 years, each time using it to jumpstart a political career instead of fight for public education. Enough is enough. Please help the campaign today by donating or volunteering. Together we will make a difference!
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Huppethal describes tax credits as “support level” for private schools
Tuesday, April 27th, 2010During debate in the Senate today over a private school tax credit measure, State Sen. John Huppenthal described tax credit dollars as a “support level” for private schools, saying:
Huppenthal said this in response to a line of questioning by Sen. Debbie McCune Davis of Phoenix, who wondered correctly why the bill includes an annual inflation adjustment for the amount a couple or individual can contribute each year. Naturally, this adjustment only permits upward growth of the limit. Sen. McCune Davis then asked him if she understood him to be advocating for state support of private schools, to which he responded that he believed that parents should be provided a specific dollar amount to use wherever they please, be it pulic, private, or religious schools. We in public education have a word for this. It’s known as a voucher. Huppenthal concluded by stating that
Penny also believes that all children are created equal, which is why every child deserves the highest quality public school system that we can give to them. Private schools should remain private.
Tags: Debbie McCune Daves, God, John Huppenthal, private schools, tax credits, voucher
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