Today, the Arizona Senate Education Committee will consider SB1416, Senator Jeff Dial’s bill to remove the public from public education by stripping the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction of key duties.
Many believe the bill is essentially was designed to save the State Board of Education (SBE) due to the fact that it is violating current statute. That violation is currently winding its way through the courts, and the SBE will likely to lose in court if a judge decides to rule on the merits of the case. A ruling is expected from the Court of Appeals.
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction issued a statement on Wednesday in advance of today’s 9 a.m. hearing.
“I was shocked by the repulsive nature of Senator Dial’s bill, SB 1416. Having successfully faced a primary election, a general election, a pathetic recall effort and an ongoing lawsuit by the State Board of Education, I am stunned that a so-called conservative Republican would try to reverse the will of the people,” stated Douglas.
“SB 1416 strips the office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of many of its Constitutional duties and gives them to unelected board members that meet around once per month,” continued Douglas. “This is the same board that refused to put the repeal of Common Core on an agenda until two lawsuits were filed and staff removed.”
Douglas voiced what many have known for some time when she stated, “When the issue was finally allowed to be voted on, the Board voted 6-2 to eliminate Common Core. Jeff Dial’s bill gives all the power back to the two members who voted no so they can reinstate Common Core. Both of those board members, Greg Miller and Reginald Ballantyne, gave personal checks of $1,000 to support pro-Common Core Democrat David Garcia in the general election.”
“Apparently Jeff Dial is anti-Common Core and Republican on the ballot, but a pro-Common Core liberal in office. It’s not the first time I’ve seen someone misrepresent their views to voters to get elected. I just can’t believe his audacity in trying to strip a Constitutional officer of their rights in order to reverse the will of the voters. His bill is anti-voter, anti-democracy, anti-education, anti-parents and anti-children. It’s one of the worst bills I’ve ever seen and I hope his voters know or find out about his antics at the State Senate,” said Douglas, of Dial, who is being targeted by several organizations this year for his questionable actions.
“I am publicly calling on Senator Sylvia Allen to put this bill in her drawer and never hear it, and for President Biggs to unassign this outrageous bill,” concluded Douglas.
One of the most questionable provisions in Dial’s bill, is one that makes SBE staff employees of the Board outside of the supervision of the Superintendent. The bill also removes the Superintendent’s power to recommend hiring decisions, and those that move the teacher investigations process under the Board. The SBE ignored the hiring requirement and has illegally taken over the investigations process.
Just recently, Douglas exposed the failure of the SBE to properly handled teacher discipline cases. That failure exposed children to dangerous individuals.