The Arizona Senate today killed HB2190, common core repeal and replace, sponsored by Rep. Mark Finchem. A handful of corporate backed Republicans joined Democrats to kill the legislation which would have granted Arizonans a say in educational standards.
The vote was 16-13 against the measure with Sen. Dial, Pierce, Worsley, and Driggs, all Republicans, voting against the Republican platform, which opposes the federal standards and curriculum.
Sen. Steve Smith first rose to explain his vote for HB2190. Smith, who comes from a family of teachers pleaded with his fellow Republicans to support the bill. “We need to repeal this abomination of a program,” said Smith.
Worsley sat scowling with his arms crossed.
Earlier in the day, according to sources, Governor Ducey had sent word to the Senate that if they allowed an amendment to be added today which would render the bill meaningless, he would call off Worsley, Driggs, and Dial and it would be allowed to pass tomorrow.
Sen. President Biggs, outraged by the suggestion, moved to have the bill voted on. Sen. Biggs rose to explain his vote saying that he supported the bill because “Common Core is a regression to the mean.”
Sen. Kelli Ward, who many are hoping will challenge Senator John McCain in the 2016 Republican Primary, pointed out that the developers of the Common Core standards were now opposed. Ward quoted Dr. James Milgram, who helped develop the math standards. Milgram recently revealed that the standards, contrary to the proponents’ claims are now at least two years behind the international standards.
“Today the Arizona Senate voted against parents, students, and teachers who favor rigorous educational standards for Arizona schools developed by Arizona educators,” said Finchem in a statement released after the vote. “A small group of Republican senators served the needs of chambers of commerce and corporations, rather than the people of Arizona. The voters of this state made their wishes known their last election: they oppose the standards imposed by the federal government.”
“Opponents to the bill must explain to their constituents why they support education standards dictated by large corporations, why they support the intrusive collection of data from our children, and why as Sen. President Biggs said so eloquently today, “a regression to the mean,” continued Finchem.
“I want to thank the members of the Senate who saw the Common Core scheme for what it is: Big government crawling into bed with big business to crush the citizenry’s path to address their grievances with government that forces them into a program they know intuitively is wrong,” concluded Finchem.
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