Democratic reaction to Maricopa County Superior Court Judge John Hannah’s ruling effectively dealing a death blow to the People approved Proposition 208-Invest in Education was immediate, full of condemnation towards the court ruling, and a commitment to continue the fight to fully fund public schools.
Arizona State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman posted:
Parents don’t care about who won or lost political points today. They care about the answers to these questions, and there is still time for Governor @dougducey and this legislature to act.
— Kathy Hoffman (@Supt_Hoffman) March 11, 2022
Arizona Democratic Party Chairwoman Raquel Teran stated:
“To the educators who led the Red for Ed movement and those who supported them – we are with you. When teachers, parents, and community allies came together, they were fighting for the children of Arizona. They had a radical belief that every child in our state deserves to reach their maximum potential with world-class education in our home state. Your labor and sacrifice with Prop 208 was a promise for a better future for your students – our children.
Today’s court decision to strike down voter-approved Prop 208 is a blow to the majority of Arizona voters who fought for desperately-needed funding of our schools. After years of underfunding our schools, Republicans spent millions of dollars on a smear campaign against Prop 208 that failed thanks to the thousands of educators, parents, and community allies who took their case directly to the people of Arizona.
While Republicans are taking a victory lap over today’s court decision, the people of Arizona won’t forget GOP legislators cheering the fact that the voters’ clear priorities have been overturned.”
Rebecca Gau, the Executive Director for Stand for Children, Arizona offered:
“Our coalition and the voters that passed this law are angry about the activist Arizona Supreme Court’s ruling prioritizing Republican lawmakers above Arizona’s citizens. It is the legislature’s responsibility to fund education and fix the education spending limit. Voters clearly want them to do their job and fund education.”
The head of the Children’s Action Alliance and former Democratic Legislative Leader David Lujan posted twice on social media:
It’s politics, not justice. We will not stop until Arizona’s schools have the resources they need. Arizona’s students deserve no less.
— David Lujan (@DavidLujan) March 11, 2022
AZ’s neighboring states are making significant new investments in public education while AZ remains at the bottom. It’s time to elect people who will put students and our economy first instead of tax cuts for the rich and corporations.
— David Lujan (@DavidLujan) March 12, 2022
Joe Thomas, the President of the Arizona Education Association relayed:
“This is yet another blow to Arizona’s 1.1 million K-12 students and the teachers who teach them. Governor Ducey and the Arizona Legislature have had years to find solutions to Arizona’s education crisis. Instead of doing their jobs, they fund lawyers to keep the people of Arizona from voting. They should be ashamed of themselves.
We are going to bring every teacher, every parent, and every organization together to hold the Arizona Legislature accountable for their extreme behavior when it comes to attacks against public education. We will also ask for an education referral to be immediately placed on the next eligible ballot. The foundation of our democracy is predicated on a legal system that is above the reach of politicians and the legislature. Today’s decision demonstrates the extent to which the Supreme Court is willing to intervene and undermine the intent and will of millions of voters.
Make no mistake, we will continue to fight for Arizona’s children and their teachers.”
In a press release for the Invest in Ed coalition, Mr. Thomas stated:
“The Supreme Court’s ruling is an insult to voters. We can only assume that the Court was twisting itself in knots to reach a particular result, forcing the hand of Judge Hannah. It is not justice, it is politics. Our students deserve better.”
Nicky Indicavitch, the Outreach Director for Save Our Schools Arizona posted the below video.
House Democratic Leader Reginald Bolding proclaimed:
“Arizona voters spoke loud and clear when they said they want significantly more investment in our chronically underfunded public schools. Today’s ruling is obviously a setback for the overwhelming number of parents who choose public schools. Running to the courts to overrule the majority of voters on a disputed legal technicality should be nothing to celebrate. But the hostility that Arizona’s governor and the anti-public education right wing have shown for public school families, students and educators has been relentless, and is on full display in the current legislative session. This lawsuit is just another example. The fact remains that because of a strong national economy, we currently are generating enough ongoing revenue to pull Arizona’s public schools out of the national funding basement, but only if our Republican colleagues can pause their culture war political agenda and focus on what Arizonans have repeatedly told them they want.”
Chandler Unified School District Board Member Lindsay Love wrote:
“While this is a sad day for everyone who knocked doors or voted for Prop 208, I’m not surprised and I don’t think anyone who was paying attention is shocked by this outcome. Our priorities with these ballot initiatives were never grounded in the reality of our current situation. We needed seats at the leg and our energy would’ve best served that effort in the last election cycle. I do hope this will plug people in to where our energy should go this election cycle. I will be walking for candidates, myself.”
Legislative District 17 State Representative and Ranking Member of the House Education Committee Jennifer Pawlik stated:
“The ruling is disappointing, but not altogether surprising. Once again, the will of the voters-who care deeply about our public schools-has been overturned. I hope that grassroots groups will try a different strategy this summer. Instead of collecting hundreds of thousands of signatures in the summer’s heat, I hope they instead work to elect candidates who will actually support our public schools. A change in the make-up of Arizona’s legislature is the only way the attacks on our public school systems will end.”
Legislative District 18 State Representative Mitzi Epstein posted on social media:
“I think this is an important idea to highlight about today’s ruling that killed the #InvestInEd #Prop208
This is a sad day for students
And a crushing day for those of us working for more equitable opportunities in Arizona.
Gov. Ducey’s chest-thumping about cutting funds for schools is symbolic of how wrong his priorities are.
Instead of his wrong-way,
We need a #PeopleFirstEconomy .
We need a majority in #AZLEG that respects teachers as professionals, and that invests in students.”
Legislative District 20 State Representative Judy Schwiebert offered:
“Today is a sad day for Arizona children and families. Their number one priority, investing in our public schools, which they mandated with the passage of Prop 208 has been overturned by the Ducey-packed courts. It’s also a sad day for our democracy when the will of the voters can be overturned by those in the highest positions of power because they simply don’t like what the voters want from their government. Arizona continues to rank at the bottom of the nation in per pupil funding, yet instead of investing in the public schools chosen by 95% of Arizona families, the Governor and special interests are more concerned with their own advancement. If Arizona is to be a place where everyone gets their chance to thrive, we must ensure that we’re investing properly in our public schools so that every child gets the quality education they deserve. Business leaders, parents, and educators all know that a strong, educated workforce is fundamental to making sure that we have a robust economy in which everyone is contributing. We’re not done yet.”
Legislative District 28 State Senator Senator Christine Marsh wrote:
“Today’s ruling is the conclusion of a concerted and persistent attack on our public schools. Arizona students and teachers deserve to learn and work in schools that are fully funded. Our students deserve to thrive in well-funded classrooms that are not among the largest in the entire nation, and they should not suffer under our state’s dire teacher shortage. Public schools provide the foundation for the future of our state.”
2020 Maricopa School Superintendent Candidate and 2022 Legislative District Two State Senate Candidate Jeanne Casteen relayed:
“The worst part about the 208 news today is the absolute GLEE coming from Arizona GOP leaders. Gleeful about protecting the wealthy, gleeful about shortchanging kids & educators, gleeful about overturning the will of the voters. We absolutely must flip our state legislature this November, or our education system will continue to be last in nearly every metric. Our kids, families, and communities deserve better, and this is a slap in the face of everyday Arizonans.”
Arizona Gubernatorial Candidate Aaron Lieberman stated:
“The loss of Prop 208 is a blow to our teachers and children in public schools, as well as the majority of Arizonans who voted for it. Unfortunately, the current (Ducey) administration is more interested in boasting about the defunding of public education, than actually solving problems. It will take a Democratic governor or legislature to find permanent funding solutions for Arizona schools.”