Arizona Governor Doug Ducey made many promises to parents while he was running for office, and one parent, speaking on behalf of many, has given him a D+ for his performance thus far. Education activist, attorney, and mother, Lisa Hudson, writing in Truth In American Education, breaks down his performance versus his promises.
In her thoughtful “report card,” Hudson examines Ducey’s past promises, and current allegiances. “Voters believed the Governor’s campaign rhetoric that Arizona would not be held hostage to what he referred to as “purchased obedience.” But his promises have amounted to nothing more than smoke-and-mirrors,” writes Hudson. “Governor Ducey is a darling of the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and the Arizona Chamber loves Common Core. The Governor would have to make a nearly 180 degree shift in his allegiance to the Chamber and make voter’s concerns his priority before his score could improve. At this time, a change seems unlikely.”
To read the “report card” click here.
Ducey has expanded his control of education in a way no one could have ever imagined. Contrary to his claims that he had wanted to reduce bureaucracy, Ducey created more. As egregious as that is, his failure to rid Arizona’s classrooms of Common Core and protect child and family privacy is inexcusable.
Hudson said of the effort, “My colleagues at American Principles Project in Washington D.C., floated the idea of a report card, similar to those created by The Pulse 2016. It made sense to do. We’ve been watching one Republican after the other fail their constituency. I’m a conservative. I voted for this governor. But when I was asked to grade him on these particular issues, how I voted was irrelevant. His performance with respect to Common Core has been less than proficient.”
Education activists are watching the current budget process play out in the Arizona Legislature. They are paying particular attention to any budget item that might contain a Ducey-pushed policy that failed to make it through in a standalone bill. Few believe that Ducey will not try to place the policy changes he had desired that were embodied in SB1416 into some budget item. That bill would have stripped the Superintendent of Public Instruction office of some of its constitutional duties and granted them to the governor’s office. Hiding policy in pork has been done before and Ducey is just the kind of guy to do it now.
As a result, activists are encouraging the public to make calls demanding that legislators guard against a slick Ducey move. Time is short, but it does remain as does the opportunity to keep Ducey from earning an F.