Education Priorities for 2019: Perspective from Save Our Schools Arizona

Education is a major priority of both political parties and school organizations in 2019. One organization looking to promote the interests of public schools in Arizona is Save Our Schools Arizona (SOS). Their mission, articulated on their website (https://sosarizona.org/), is to: • Educate communities about the value of public education • Empower parents, teachers, and … Read more

The Conservative Majority on the United States Supreme Court stomped on the Freedom of Religion so a man can be Executed On Time

The conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court thought executing a man on time was more important than safeguarding his religious liberties before he passed on.

The conservative majority on the United States Supreme Court thought to execute a man on time was more important than safeguarding his religious liberties before he passed on.

Dominque Ray is a person who does not deserve tears to be shed. He was executed in Alabama on February 7 for the rape and murder of 15-year-old Tiffany Harville in 1995.

The subject of capital punishment is one of profound debate in this country with regards to if it should be allowed, if so when it should be administered, what method should be employed to execute the prisoner, and whether this ultimate penalty is equally and fairly distributed according to demographics?

Those issues are not the subject of this piece.

What is the subject of this article is that Ray was denied his religious rights and freedoms days before his execution when the warden and officials at the prison he was incarcerated at denied his request, on January 23, 2019, to have his Moslem Imam present for security reasons.

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The Northam and Fairfax Affairs in Virginia expose the depths of Republican Hypocrisy and the pitfalls of Democratic Zero Tolerance

Embattled Virginia Governor Ralph Northam with his wife addressing reporters on Saturday, February 2, 2019

The revelations over the last several days of Virginia Governor Ralph Northam apparently taking a disturbing racially charged photograph while a medical student 35 years ago and the non substantiated accusations of sexual assault of Virginia’s Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax have exposed the depths of Republican hypocrisy (as well as their aptitude for gutter politics) and the potential pitfalls of Democratic zero tolerance when these matters are first brought forth before hearing all the details and circumstances surrounding the events.

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Hoffman declares, “Arizona’s Teacher Shortage is Nothing Short of a Crisis”

Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman

In a jammed packed Hearing Room One at the Arizona State House with several television news crews, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman gave her State of Education address before the mostly assembled House Education Committee (State Representative Townsend was absent).

While touching on the themes she has consistently spoken on since being a candidate like greater accountability for all public and charter schools and the Department of Education, increased school funding, more resources, and staffing for ELL, Special Education, Counseling, and Psychologists, anti-bullying preventive measures, getting rid of laws that permit Anti LGBTQ behavior, restoring early education funding, respect for all forms of diversity, and a desire for bipartisan collaboration between her department, the Governor’s office, and the legislature, Superintendent Hoffman devoted a substantial portion of her remarks (a link to the full address is below) on the teacher shortage, especially in our rural areas, commenting that “Arizona’s Teacher Shortage is Nothing Short of a Crisis” that threatens the “future of our state” which “is on our schools.”

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