Dear Superintendent Huppenthal, Do you REALLY believe your job is to recruit for private schools?

by
CROSS POSTED from the Arizona Eagletarian.
 
In a comment to another news story about Huppenthal and his private school marketing scheme, Diana Murray, a Paradise Valley School District parent, says that just this evening, she received the robocall from the Arizona Superintendent of PUBLIC Schools directing her to the Goldwater Institute's website for more information about taxpayer funding for private schools.
 
Additionally, the legislature is currently poised to expand the availability of taxpayer funds for private schools, with SB1236 and HB2291. In his video interview with Brahm Resnik last week (at the 7 minute mark of the 13 minute interview), Huppenthal acknowledged that if those bills are enacted, 50 to 65 percent of Arizona students would be eligible for taxpayer money to send them to private (NOT charter, but PRIVATE) schools.
 
Therefore, if you think this is the right thing to do, I have this message for you, John.
 
—–
 
Dear John,
 
As you have recently reminded us, your record is that of a "true believer" in "school choice," we know that.
 
Since you believe so deeply that what you've done is appropriate and in the best interests of your constituents, should you not then have the courage of your convictions and continue the calls?
 
Why not record MORE calls for families to send their children to taxpayer funded — unaccountable to the taxpayers — private schools? 
 
Dude, don’t hide from it. Wear it boldly EMBLAZONED on your chest. 
 
And make sure to Do.It.All.The.Way.Up.To.Election.Day.
 
Pretty Please. With sugar on top!
 
Yours Truly,
 
Steve Muratore
Arizona Eagletarian

6 thoughts on “Dear Superintendent Huppenthal, Do you REALLY believe your job is to recruit for private schools?”

  1. The type of robocalls you reference in your comment are not the type referred to in the post. The suggestion was that Huppenthal continue to use robocalls to hawk the tax credit program for private schools, not that he make the usual campaign robocalls to which you refer. Do you not get that distinction? By all appearances, you’re one obtuse dude.

    I don’t think the issue is Huppenthal’s support of school choice. Rather, it’s what appears to be a clear preference for charter schools and private schools over public schools and a desire to dismantle the public school system as we know it.

  2. What? Someone who has supported unlimited school choice for over 20 years supports school choice and that is a news story?

    The problem is Huppenthal was working his behind off helping school districts and superintendents do their job and they falsely concluded that he was one of them. Obviously, he is not. They are shocked.

    Im sure Huppenthal will be doing robocalls, i think i got 20 from him in the last election. I would imagine those calls will also extoll the virtues of a parent having the power to choose their childs school. Over 75 percent of the electorate supports that idea.

    Im also sure of another thing, he will be our next superintendent. People like the idea of a blind child being able to read and climb mt Kilamanjaro and be able to earn a living.

  3. You only know about me what I write. The liberties you take in trying to frame my beliefs in terms of your prejudices miss the mark by miles.

    When mechanisms are put in place to make private schools subject to accountability to taxpayers, we can revisit your bullshit claim about what I believe.

    By the way, I wonder how good a job the schools in South Tucson or any cash strapped public school district would do if they had a per student budget that matched that enjoyed by private schools like Phoenix Country Day School.

  4. That’s not the issue raised here. If you and Huppenthal are correct, why doesn’t Huppenthal continue with the robocalls, and why didn’t he announce the public service he was performing at the time he performed it? Why did it require Brahm Resnick to point it out?

    Truth is, Huppenthal, an elected official running for re-election with both a primary and general election opponent, would have us believe that he performed what he thought was a public service, but did nothing on his own to let the public know, in an election year. That’s kind of absurd isn’t it?

  5. It was a public service, a wonderful service for these children. Many ESA recipients are blind children who live too far from schools for the Deaf and Blind. Over 20 percent of our nation’s eighth graders lack even basic math skills, you know, multiplying 6 times 8 (NAEP). These children attending failing schools deserve a chance. Even our best schools sytems have five percent of these children.

    I know you believe that the school system should be able to continue to feed on these kids, but I think they deserve a chance.

  6. This post makes an excellent point.

    We see this occur repeatedly: Politician is outed for corrupt conduct. He vehmently defends the conduct, but hypocritically discontinues it. The obvious takeaway is that a calculated risk was taken, with plan B being to defend but discontinue, thereby minimizing the downside.

    When you think about it, the hypocrisy is there even before the conduct is discontinued. In this case, for example, if Huppenthal’s robocalls were as justified as he claims they were, why did it take an interview with Brahm Resnick to bring them to our attention? Why didn’t Huppenthal issue a press release advising us that he was going to perform this public service?

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