Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1036706
FALL 2018 | ADVOCATE 5 at the capitol O n September 4, 2018, thousands of educators across the United States dressed for school in red- shirted solidarity with their colleagues in Arizona, who were stunned the prior week when the state Supreme Court blocked a ballot initiative that would have increased school funding by $690 million. "Our students and educators deserve better," said National Education Association (NEA) President Lily Eskelsen García, in urging NEA members to participate in a national #RedforEd day. This summer, Arizona educators worked day and night to gather and deliver 270,000 petition signatures to the state—far more than the 151,000 required—enabling Proposition 207, which would have guaranteed voters a say in sustainable school revenues. "We knew the voters would support this. They want to see more funding in our schools, they want to reverse the direction that our governor and legislature has had for us," said Arizona Education Association (AEA) President Joe Thomas. "The voters have been cheated out of the opportunity to invest real dollars in education." The court's ruling will not be the last word on education funding, promised Noah Karvelis, Littleton Education Association President and a leader in Arizona's #RedforEd movement. "We know what to do. We will put one foot in front of the other and keep fighting." The next step? The November election. "Our only recourse is to remember in November. That's where we're going to make the most impact," said Thomas. In November, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey faces challenger David Garcia, who has said that Ducey "stacked" the court against educators. "The stakes for governor in Arizona just changed utterly and irrevocably. We must elect pro-public education candidates up and down the ballot to prevent this kind of corruption in the future. I'm proud to stand with our educators, parents, and kids." By Mary Ellen Flannery Court Ruling Won't Be Last Word on School Funding, Say AZ Educators