Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1144159
F or the governor and legislature, it should have been simple. With $1 billion in revenue available to them, with a well-chronicled statewide teacher shortage, and with a clear mandate from the voters to fund our public schools, it should have been simple. Instead of addressing Arizona's 1,600 classroom teacher vacancies, instead of hiring more counselors, school nurses, instructional aides, and other professionals necessary to meet the needs of our growing student population, and instead of repairing our buildings and buses or upgrading our technology to 21st century standards – lawmakers chose permanent tax cuts and the rainy day fund. A billion-dollar opportunity to impact our students and schools was lost. Less than a year removed from countless candidate promises to increase funding to our students and schools, the prevailing arguments on budget night became how much revenue can legislators keep out of schools, how many resources they can keep away from our students. How much harder can they make your job? The intentional negligence by our elected officials is another clear signal that the only way forward to provide our students with the great public schools they deserve, is for the people to take power back into our own hands and demand it. That is why the #REDforED movement saw its initial success. It wasn't because we convinced enough lawmakers to suddenly reverse course on 30 years of tax cuts and begin a new era of school funding. It was because we united in our value around students and public education as a democratic right and took courageous, collective actions to get the job done. Our students have always been at the center of everything we do, but the actions we took as part of the #REDforED movement changed how we see our responsibility toward their success. No longer will we believe "there's no money" to address the issues facing our students. No longer will we wait on politicians and business leaders who continue to kick the can down the road because they lack the courage to act. No longer will we sit on the sidelines and watch our school buildings crumble, our textbooks and technology fall apart, and our school buses break down, not when it is at the expense of the health, safety, and well-being of our students. It's time to unite with the community and inspire the nation again. It's time for us to make the changes our students need. It is up to us – you and me – to rise-up where lawmakers failed and get the job done. It's that simple. 4 ADVOCATE | SUMMER 2019 IN SOLIDARITY by Joe Thomas AEA OFFICERS Joe Thomas President Marisol Garcia Vice President Angela Philpot Treasurer AEA STAFF Luis A. Heredia Executive Director Sheenae Shannon Editor Roxanne Rash Graphic Design Advertising The AEA Advocate is published by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532. Phone: 602- 264-1774 or 800-352-5411 Fax: 602-240-6887. Email: sheenae.shannon@arizonaea.org. AEA's website may be found at www.arizonaea.org. Permission to reprint any material originating with this publication is granted provided that credit is given to the AEA Advocate. The AEA Advocate (ISSN 0194-8849) is published in Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer for $3.50 per year by the Arizona Education Association, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Periodicals postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to the AEA Advocate, 345 East Palm Lane, Phoenix, AZ 85004-1532. Moving? Please let us know before you go. Simply clip your mailing label from the back of the Advocate and send it along with your new address to: AEA Advocate 345 East Palm Lane Phoenix, Arizona 85004-1532 Joseph H. Thomas, President Arizona Education Association