This month, the Goldwater Institute called on the Arizona Attorney General’s Office to investigate school districts using district resources to send representatives to the Arizona School Board Association’s “Law Conference” to be held September 7-9. The Institute alleges that the event is “clearly geared toward a political objective: overturning Arizona’s recently enacted universal school choice reform.”
ASBA member boards are also being asked to “take part in voting on the 2023 Political Agenda.”
The Goldwater Institute’s request has prompted new interest in Arizona Revised Statute Section 15-511, which prohibits school districts from spending or using district school resources to influence the outcomes of elections, and the predators who ignore the law to attempt to take advantage of young students.
Emails from the Scottsdale Unified School District show a distinct disregard for Arizona law by school, social, and strictly partisan organizations like the GSA (Gender and Sexuality Alliances) clubs, GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) and More Blue eager to turn promote various political campaigns and turn students into lobbyists.
From calling on recipients to take action against pending legislation in Texas to fighting two bills in Arizona, HB2161, which strengthens parental rights, and HB2495 which would prohibit sexually explicit materials in classrooms, the organizations sent numerous political messages through publicly funded servers.
In the case of More Blue, the group offered work opportunities to “ young people (14-24) hungry to answer the call to help Democrats keep the House and Senate at a federal level.”
According to its website, More Blue is operating out of key swing states including Arizona, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin.
The organization claims to be “devoted to expanding youth engagement and influence across all aspects of our democracy. We push forward youth-focused policies in government, in the Democratic Party, and in civic life.”
More Blue says it is “committed to providing youth organizers with field organizing opportunities in the places they call home at this moment. More Blue’s campaign internship program fosters community amongst young people as we pursue the preservation and strengthening of democracy.”
Students are eligible for a $75 stipend should they complete the trainings.
More Blue Campaign Fellowship Program FAQ
Q: What is expected of me as a fellow?
A: All participants will be expected to commit to fully engaging in a three week training program before beginning their campaign placements(10 hours). Additionally, all participants will work alongside their respective campaigns to determine the best time commitment and schedule for both of their needs (10-15 hours per week). Within the semester, participants will need to be responsive to Slack and/or email to receive occasional program updates and possibly to complete specific tasks.
In 2018, Arizona Teacher of the Year for 2019, Kareem Neal, and Resha Gentry-Balance, president of Phoenix Union’s teacher association, were fined and disciplined for politicking for #InvestInEd on the taxpayer’s dime.
Julie Brown, a concerned citizen, filed complaints about Neal and Gentry-Balance to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.
#InvestInEd was a national progressive campaign to elect Democrats to office by increasing voter turnout in support of “teacher pay raise” initiatives. Teacher and other labor unions union launched #RedForEd campaigns in red states in an effort to turn them blue.
“The use of precious taxpayer dollars to pay registration fees for an ASBA Law Conference and then have, as part of its conference agenda, blatant injection of partisan political ideology that opposes empowerment scholarships and school choice options is unacceptable,” said Arizona State rep. Beverly Pingerelli and Peoria Unified School District Governing Board member.
“This conference should be to inform and educate elected governing board members on the “nuts and bolts” of laws and legal matters which may come before a district school board, not having ASBA’s political action committee recruit its attendees to a political rally and violating state statute 15- 511,” concluded Pingerelli.
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