Christine Thompson, Arizona State Board of Education Executive Director, has announced her resignation to be effective November 6. Her resignation was met with surprise by supporters and hope by detractors.
Thompson’s resignation follows that of her deputy director, Sabrina Vazquez. The two were fired by Superintendent Diane Douglas, citing the creation of a hostile work environment by the two.
Governor Doug Ducey then ordered the two back to work, which prompted a lawsuit by Douglas over who controlled the State Board of Education staff.
While the courts have found against Douglas, many view Ducey’s move as one that served no other purpose except to weakened the highest elected education position. That view will now be reinforced with the departure of Thompson and Vasquez, who answered only to the mostly unelected less-than-accountable Board.
In 2013, the State Board of Education replaced Vince Yanez, who left the Board to take a position at the Arizona Community Foundation, with Thompson. Before joining the State Board of Education in 2012 as Deputy Director, Thompson served as Associate Vice President for Government Affairs for the Arizona Board of Regents and as Director of Government Relations for the State Bar of Arizona.
At the time, Thompson made it clear that she was a staunch advocate for Common Core.
The State Board of Education is created by the Arizona Constitution and charged with the responsibility of regulating the conduct of the public school system.
The Board is composed of the following eleven members: the superintendent of public instruction, the president of a state university or state college, four lay members, a president or chancellor of a community college district, a person who is an owner or administrator of a charter school, a superintendent of a high school district, a classroom teacher and a county school superintendent. Each member, other than the superintendent of public instruction, is appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate.
Education activists are considering an initiative to change the Board to an elected body.
This past year, Rep. Kelly Townsend introduced HB 2048, which would have allowed the Senate to recall a member of the Board with a 2/3 vote. Rep. Paul Boyer, who has come to be known as the governor’s lap dog, would not allow the bill to be considered by lawmakers.