Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/348932
22 Fall 2014 x AEA Advocate AT THE CAPITOL Superintendent Huppenthal Abuses His Public Office to Betray Public Education In the latest story about the downward spiral of our state's Superintendent of Public Instruction, John Huppenthal is once again making headlines for his anti-public education antics. 12News reported in June about Superintendent Huppenthal's offensive and false blog comments using the anonymous pseudonyms Thucydides and Falcon9. Blog for Arizona traced these comments back to a computer at the Arizona Department of Education. This embarrassing behavior damages the credibility of his office and the reputation of our state. It's just another example to add to an already long list on why Arizona needs a leader who will stand up for our public schools. In May, Superintendent Huppenthal stated his intent to provide additional funding to Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA), abusing the authority of his public office to advance for-profit private schools over the public education system he manages. During the 2013 legislative session, a bill passed that gave students who left a charter school to attend a private school the charter school additional assistance funds— approximately $1,500 per student. This last legislative session, SB1237 was pushed by Huppenthal's office to attempt to amend state law (A.R.S. 15-2402) to give every ESA voucher recipient both the basic state aid funding and the charter school additional assistance funding, even if the recipient had never received the charter additional assistance funding previously. AEA was successful getting this language amended out of the bill during House Committee of the Whole, and several legislators spoke of their intent to prevent the very expenditure that Superintendent Huppenthal now proposes. "Legislators were very clear in their intent of this legislation last year and this past session as evidenced by testimony and legislative fact sheets. Superintendent Huppenthal is the only person who interprets the law to mean give voucher students more money," says AEA President Andrew F. Morrill. "For the Superintendent to willfully disregard legislative intent and financially advantage private schools over Arizona's public schools is a betrayal of public education and displays a failure of leadership." AEA disputes the Superintendent's ability to give additional money to the ESA recipients when the legislature rejected an attempt this session to statutorily authorize the additional spending. AEA also disputes his assertion that his actions won't negatively impact funding levels for Arizona's public schools. His actions will drain the general fund by expending more money to fund private school vouchers than the state paid to send that same student to public school. Further, that additional expense wasn't accounted for in the state budget. We don't need these kinds of distractions. Our public schools are underfunded. The state has raised its standards and is implementing a new assessment, demands on teachers are at an all-time high, and we are facing another school year with too little funding and too few resources in our schools. More than ever, we need strong leadership. Huppenthal has shown us clearly that he is not the answer. He may resign; he may not, but luckily the decision for him to stay in office is not up to him. It's up to the voters of Arizona and we are fortunate enough to have an excellent alternative in Dr. David Garcia, AEA's recommended candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Hoping that Huppenthal resigns is not as effective as voting him out of office. So, if you are angry enough to take action, read more about Dr. David Garcia on the next page, support his campaign, and educate others on the need for a leader who stands up for public schools. This is how a group of passionate people take action. It's not just about making a resolution or saying we have no confidence in our elected officials. It's about each of us making a commitment and taking action together. 2 "For the Superintendent to willfully disregard legislative intent and financially advantage private schools over Arizona's public schools is a betrayal of public education and displays a failure of leadership." — Andrew F. Morrill, AEA President