On Thursday, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas travelled to Tucson to personally meet with the Superintendent of the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD). In their second meeting, Douglas and TUSD Superintendent H.T. Sanchez visited UHS College and Career Center and a U.S. History from the Mexican-American perspective class.
Douglas originally met with Sanchez in early January after the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) found TUSD in violation of ARS §15-112. At that time, both leaders said they considered correction of the violation a high priority.
“Our conversation was very positive and constructive,” Dr. Sanchez said in a press release from the District. “I feel our teachers are on the right path. The students at Rincon were engaged in learning and the teacher whose class we visited had prepared and delivered a thoughtful lesson.”
The District carefully crafts the narrative and chooses the teachers for viewings by outsiders. According to the ADE, the Superintendent did not want to “not depend on staff visits to the classrooms,” according to an ADE spokesperson. “She wanted to see things for herself.” Earlier this year, staff had made unannounced inspections and found the classes to be lacking in rigor and political in nature.
Douglas originally met with Sanchez in early January after the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) found TUSD in violation of ARS §15-112. At that time, both leaders said they considered correction of the violation a high priority. Shortly thereafter, she named him to her Latino Education Advisory Committee. Douglas just created the Latino Education Advisory Committee, which will conduct its initial meeting March 3, 2015. All committee meetings will be open to the public.
“I continue to be encouraged that Superintendent Sanchez is working with the state to bring coursework into compliance with the law,” said Superintendent Douglas. It appears that Douglas believes that staff was not prepared for her visit to the schools. She claimed, “It was very valuable for both of us to make an unannounced visit together to monitor the progress of these changes in one of the classrooms. I hope we can continue our cooperation, bring the coursework into legal compliance, and build a strong and lasting relationship with TUSD.”
In her statement, the Superintendent said she supports inclusion of all ethnic groups in the design of standards, curriculum and instruction for Arizona all students. “Arizona students should know the rich diversity of all ethnic groups,” Douglas stated the obvious and widely held belief.
ADE gave the school district a 60-day period to correct the violation, which ends on March 4, 2015. TUSD risks losing 10 percent of its monthly apportionment of state aid unless the violation is corrected. Both Sanchez and Douglas have condemned Arizonans for failing to fund education. Douglas lashed out at the Governor Ducey administration for the lack of funding and Sanchez accused Arizonans “who do not want to spend money on education for children who do not look like them,” for education funding, referring to Arizona’s white majority.
Douglas only met with staff and classes at TUSD, but she visited classes, administrators, and governing board members at Poston Butte High School in the Florence Unified School District.
Douglas met with Florence Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Fuller, Dr. Tim Richard, Principal at Poston Butte, Board President Denise Guether, and Board Members Bob Dailey and Steve Johnson. They discussed policy and some of the issues facing education in Arizona.
Douglas said of the visit, “Poston Butte High School is a wonderful school and I had a great experience taking a tour of their campus.”
Dr. Fuller said in a statement released Thursday, “Florence Unified was happy to open our doors to Mrs. Douglas. This experience was educational for everyone involved. We look forward to working closely with Mrs. Douglas to do what is best for kids.”
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