On a day when the United States Supreme Court gave carte blanche to the Trump-MAGA Government to cruelly and stupidly gut the staffing at the United States Department of Education, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, along with 22 other state legal leaders, has launched her twenty first lawsuit against the American Duce Wannabe and his Authoritarian-Fascist clique in order to get them to restore close to seven billion dollars the Felon in Chief has withheld from public school districts in the Grand Canyon State across the country.
Between $118 and $132 million has been held back from Arizona public schools.
In a video announcement to the media, Attorney General Mayes said:
“I just filed my 21st lawsuit to hold President Trump accountable under the law by freezing funds that are owed to Arizonans. President Trump and his administration are increasing costs for Arizona’s schools, cities, and families. This time, the funding they’re holding up is especially egregious. Five school districts and a handful of charter schools will lose all funding for their school safety officers. Arizona police officers will lose those jobs. Crane Elementary School District will lose a preschool teacher. In the Colorado River Union High School District Number Two, they will lose a science and social studies teacher. Casa Grande Elementary School district will be forced to issue immediate layoffs and cancel their summer career camp for students, their family engagement nights, a number of teacher planning sessions and already planned field trips for students. Isaac School District will lose their robotics materials and STEM specialists, staff funding for their PE equipment, and potentially their entire band program. The Holbrook School District Number Three will lose funding for their school supplies like paper, pencils, markers, string tape, Graphic organizers, and notebooks. This is funding for essentials. It will keep the lights on in our schools. Rural schools need it the most and the Trump Administration is trying to take it away for no reason at all and who gets hurt. You. Arizona’s own communities and families will have to scramble because the President of the United States is trying to rewrite the Constitution. I will never stop fighting for you. “
In an office press release, the Attorney General added:
“By freezing $132 million in funds owed to Arizona’s students, President Trump and his administration are increasing costs for Arizona’s schools, cities, and families. It’s unlawful for President Trump to hold up this education funding and wreak havoc on Arizona’s students and families—and it’s having an immediate and devastating impact.”
Governor Katie Hobbs’s office has conveyed support for Attorney General Mayes’s legal move, noting that when Mr. Trump and his government instituted this cruel withdrawal of public school funds, she commented to the media:
“Very little notice, very little information, and it creates chaos and uncertainty. Money that was already appropriated, already being counted on, now all of a sudden isn’t. I think it’s a terrible way to run a government.”
Mayes’s action comes after Senator Mark Kelly and Representative Greg Stanton wrote to the Trump regime, demanding release of the funds, writing:
“The timing of this withholding is particularly serious for Arizona schools that begin the new school earlier than many schools across the country. One school district in Arizona begins the term on July 16, 2025. This freeze is putting Arizona school districts in an impossible financial situation, as school districts have already adopted their annual budgets and signed contracts for the upcoming school year…To minimize harm to students, teachers, and families and to uphold the Constitution, we urge you to immediately release these congressionally appropriated dollars as required by law.”
Arizona Assistant Democratic House Leader Nancy Gutierrez applauded Mayes’s law suit, commenting to Blog for Arizona:
“I absolutely applaud AG Mayes and the coalition of other Attorneys General in pursuing legal action against the President for holding these funds. It is clearly wrong and will be detrimental to Arizona’s children.
Most of Arizona students and families choose public schools for their education. They do this because public schools serve all students and their communities. It is shameful to hold this money, especially with school beginning this month for many of our schools.
Arizona has been the proving ground for detrimental Project 2025 education policy, and this is one more example of it. I’m happy to help in any way that I can to get these funds to our schools as soon as possible.”
Arizona Education Association Leader Marisol Garcia posted:
“To be clear these cuts will lead to loss of positions and programs at schools throughout our state. Districts are currently meeting to rework budgets & dip into reserves to keep ensure students receive the legally obligated instruction they need. Thank you @AZAGMayes for filing.”
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Candidate Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz offered:
“I’m grateful for Attorney General Mayes and her willingness to pursue justice for Arizona’s public schools. Litigation shouldn’t be required for our classrooms to have the money they are owed.”
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