On Thursday, the Arizona Senate Education Committee voted to strip the duly elected Superintendent of Public Instruction of key duties and shift them to the appointed State Board of Education. Although only a small number of people, including Senate President Andy Biggs spoke in favor of the legislation, the panel voted 5-2 against the public’s only state level elected representative.
The bill backed by Governor Doug Ducey and the chambers of commerce, was fast tracked. The hearing caught public school activists off guard as the bill had only been introduced late last week.
Only senators Carlyle Begay and Steve Smith voted against the anti-public bill.
As the ADI reported on Wednesday, many believe the bill was designed to save the State Board of Education (SBE) due to the fact that it is violating current statute. That violation is 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 Diane Douglas spoke passionately in defense of the public’s role in public education before the Committee. Despite exposing the shody work by the SBE, her revelations fell on deaf ears.
Douglas had asked Chair Senator Sylvia Allen to hold the bill, but the pressure from Senate President Andy Biggs, won the day.
According to ALIS, the public input system for the Arizona Legislature, the opposition to the bill was twenty times higher than support for it.