Latest news with #TomHorne
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New law allows retired police officers to work in Arizona schools
New legislation aims to increase school safety by allowing retired law enforcement officers to work in schools. Gov. Katie Hobbs signed House Bill 2074 into law on May 6, expanding the School Safety Program that began in 2007. The School Safety Program is a state-funded grant that schools can apply for to create safer learning environments by increasing the number of officers, counselors and social workers on campus. 'Just as we have a shortage of teachers, we have the shortage of police officers,' Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne said. Previously, school police officers were required to be actively licensed. Now, retired peace officers previously employed in Arizona who left the workforce in good standing can work as school officers. Retired officers would still need to be assigned to the School Safety Program by a law enforcement agency, such as a local police department. Horne said HB 2074 was the most significant school safety law since the School Safety Program's creation. HB 2074 was sponsored by Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, and approved by the Legislature in April. The bill expands the authorized use of School Safety Program grants issued by the Arizona State Department of Education. An estimated $33 million in grant funding went unused during the 2024-24 school year because schools couldn't find personnel to hire due to qualification requirements, Gress said. Aside from adding more school resource officers, as school police officers are commonly called, HB 2074 allows School Safety Program grant money to be used for safety infrastructure, equipment and training. The bill also requires at least one officer at a school to receive training in interacting with students with disabilities. The law also exempts schools from having to release school blueprints or floorplans in response to public records requests. Schools receiving grant funding will also now be required to complete regular safety assessments and develop emergency response plans. Coverage of education solutions on and in The Arizona Republic is partially supported by a grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation's Arizona Community Collaborative Fund. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: New law allows retired police officers to work in Arizona schools
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tom Horne's attack on DEI is a stunt, just like the Luigi Mangione musical
Arizona schools chief Tom Horne has warned public schools they could lose federal funding if they don't sign his 'No DEI here' statement, even though the executive order that is the basis for this is neither enforceable nor clear. Its language provides no specifics on what constitutes the dreaded DEI, yet Horne demands public schools sign to confirm they have nothing approaching it. Of course, Horne should have plenty of examples, given that one of his first acts was to initiate a 'Empower Hotline,' to allow parents to report objectionable material taught to their kids. And, of course, this turned out to be at best a nothing burger and at worst a fiasco. If Horne had examples, you would think he would trot them out. But he doesn't, which suggests that Horne's 'No DEI Here' is just another performative stunt, trying to ingratiate himself with the Trumper crowd. Mike McClellan, Gilbert I believe I speak for hundreds of thousands of Arizona voters when I say I am absolutely sick of politics and empty-suit double-talking politicians. Why on earth would you start up with political ads a full 18 months before the election? I could not hit the mute button fast enough when I started seeing yours. You may have very well just caused me, out of pure frustration, to vote for someone else. Antonio Morales Jr., Glendale When libraries put parental controls on books, students will find a way to access the books they want to read through friends, bookstores and Kindle. Wouldn't the parents rather know what their kids are reading? Then perhaps they could open a dialogue about 'sensitive' subjects. Bekke Hess, Bullhead City Letter: Arizona public schools need more DEI, not less of it I'm amazed that the homeschooling community is complaining about caps to their spending. I am sure public-school students would love to bake with high-end equipment, design clothing with the best fabrics and buy the best tools. Do you even realize that Arizona is spending nearly a billion dollars yearly on empowerment scholarship accounts? The budget isn't going to be able to sustain that without raising taxes. Public school districts are struggling to provide competitive salaries for teachers, resources to maintain buildings and programs that don't charge students. They, too, would love a piece of the education dollars' pie. Wake up state leaders and Arizonans, we are bankrupting the public education system. Alexis Reed, Anthem Letters: Arizona should ban hunting dogs - and politics in the entertainment section Art imitates art? Several years ago, Mel Brooks created a play called 'The Producers' about a Broadway impresario and his accountant who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling investment interests in a Broadway musical they know will flop. Their scheme depends on the play going belly up on opening night so they can walk away with all the invested dollars. To ensure its failure, they set about writing and casting the worst, most tasteless production they can imagine — 'Springtime for Hitler.' The play, however, turns out to be a comedy hit. Audiences love it. It goes on extended run and they lose their shirts and go to prison. Today, producers in San Francisco are staging a musical called 'Luigi' about Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering a health-care CEO in New York City. Apparently, these real-life producers are serious. Charles Lopresto, Phoenix Thank you so much for featuring the Phoenix demonstration for May Day on the front page. Of course, there were other demonstrations in Arizona, including in Gilbert, Tucson, Tempe and Sedona. It is important that mainstream media recognize the popular resistance to the current administration and its policies. The 47th president and his followers are gleefully destroying the government, including essential programs for families, veterans, seniors and health care. The separation of powers is dying. The administration's lack of empathy and authoritarian impulses should be alarming to all citizens. My father fought in World War II to defeat fascism. We may be called upon to do the same. Gerri Chizeck, Chandler I can't believe I'm writing this, but Phil Boas wrote a brilliant column. His analysis of the tragic death of an elderly woman whose power was shut off by APS was thoughtful and inquisitive. While he acknowledged that her death shouldn't have happened, he also suggested that APS is not a social service agency and shouldn't bear sole responsibility for what happened. He closed with an important question: 'So, what's our next step?' I remember first hearing about the woman's death and blaming APS. It was a sudden and visceral reaction. But Phil's piece made me sit back and think it through. By the time I got to his final question, I had come to a possible answer. Before someone's power is disconnected for nonpayment, APS or SRP must notify the city of residence. They must have a plan to conduct a wellness (physical and/or financial) check. It could be through the police or other agency. The city would already know if the person is paying his or her utility bills. The process then needs to include a plan on how to help the person involved. And the power companies can only stop service when authorized by the city. It would involve coordination, but it's worth it. Thanks, Phil. Dan Peel, Scottsdale What's on your mind? Send us a letter to the editor online or via email at opinions@ This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ schools chief cozies up to Trump crowd with DEI stunt | Letters
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tom Horne's attack on DEI is a stunt, just like the Luigi Mangione musical
Arizona schools chief Tom Horne has warned public schools they could lose federal funding if they don't sign his 'No DEI here' statement, even though the executive order that is the basis for this is neither enforceable nor clear. Its language provides no specifics on what constitutes the dreaded DEI, yet Horne demands public schools sign to confirm they have nothing approaching it. Of course, Horne should have plenty of examples, given that one of his first acts was to initiate a 'Empower Hotline,' to allow parents to report objectionable material taught to their kids. And, of course, this turned out to be at best a nothing burger and at worst a fiasco. If Horne had examples, you would think he would trot them out. But he doesn't, which suggests that Horne's 'No DEI Here' is just another performative stunt, trying to ingratiate himself with the Trumper crowd. Mike McClellan, Gilbert I believe I speak for hundreds of thousands of Arizona voters when I say I am absolutely sick of politics and empty-suit double-talking politicians. Why on earth would you start up with political ads a full 18 months before the election? I could not hit the mute button fast enough when I started seeing yours. You may have very well just caused me, out of pure frustration, to vote for someone else. Antonio Morales Jr., Glendale When libraries put parental controls on books, students will find a way to access the books they want to read through friends, bookstores and Kindle. Wouldn't the parents rather know what their kids are reading? Then perhaps they could open a dialogue about 'sensitive' subjects. Bekke Hess, Bullhead City Letter: Arizona public schools need more DEI, not less of it I'm amazed that the homeschooling community is complaining about caps to their spending. I am sure public-school students would love to bake with high-end equipment, design clothing with the best fabrics and buy the best tools. Do you even realize that Arizona is spending nearly a billion dollars yearly on empowerment scholarship accounts? The budget isn't going to be able to sustain that without raising taxes. Public school districts are struggling to provide competitive salaries for teachers, resources to maintain buildings and programs that don't charge students. They, too, would love a piece of the education dollars' pie. Wake up state leaders and Arizonans, we are bankrupting the public education system. Alexis Reed, Anthem Letters: Arizona should ban hunting dogs - and politics in the entertainment section Art imitates art? Several years ago, Mel Brooks created a play called 'The Producers' about a Broadway impresario and his accountant who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling investment interests in a Broadway musical they know will flop. Their scheme depends on the play going belly up on opening night so they can walk away with all the invested dollars. To ensure its failure, they set about writing and casting the worst, most tasteless production they can imagine — 'Springtime for Hitler.' The play, however, turns out to be a comedy hit. Audiences love it. It goes on extended run and they lose their shirts and go to prison. Today, producers in San Francisco are staging a musical called 'Luigi' about Luigi Mangione, the man accused of murdering a health-care CEO in New York City. Apparently, these real-life producers are serious. Charles Lopresto, Phoenix Thank you so much for featuring the Phoenix demonstration for May Day on the front page. Of course, there were other demonstrations in Arizona, including in Gilbert, Tucson, Tempe and Sedona. It is important that mainstream media recognize the popular resistance to the current administration and its policies. The 47th president and his followers are gleefully destroying the government, including essential programs for families, veterans, seniors and health care. The separation of powers is dying. The administration's lack of empathy and authoritarian impulses should be alarming to all citizens. My father fought in World War II to defeat fascism. We may be called upon to do the same. Gerri Chizeck, Chandler I can't believe I'm writing this, but Phil Boas wrote a brilliant column. His analysis of the tragic death of an elderly woman whose power was shut off by APS was thoughtful and inquisitive. While he acknowledged that her death shouldn't have happened, he also suggested that APS is not a social service agency and shouldn't bear sole responsibility for what happened. He closed with an important question: 'So, what's our next step?' I remember first hearing about the woman's death and blaming APS. It was a sudden and visceral reaction. But Phil's piece made me sit back and think it through. By the time I got to his final question, I had come to a possible answer. Before someone's power is disconnected for nonpayment, APS or SRP must notify the city of residence. They must have a plan to conduct a wellness (physical and/or financial) check. It could be through the police or other agency. The city would already know if the person is paying his or her utility bills. The process then needs to include a plan on how to help the person involved. And the power companies can only stop service when authorized by the city. It would involve coordination, but it's worth it. Thanks, Phil. Dan Peel, Scottsdale What's on your mind? Send us a letter to the editor online or via email at opinions@ This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ schools chief cozies up to Trump crowd with DEI stunt | Letters
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AZ education chief gives ultimatum to Kyrene School District amid DEI spat: Here's what to know
The Brief Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is threatening Kyrene School District with loss of funding. The spat is over a reference to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in district policies. Kyrene has been given an April 24 deadline to remove the DEI language. PHOENIX - The Kyrene School District, which serves students in the Ahwatukee area of Phoenix and parts of Tempe and Chandler, has a week and a half to get rid of any reference to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in its policies, according to Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, or it will lose more than $1.5 million in funding. "If they don't sign an attestation that they don't use DEI, they will lose their federal funding," said Horne. Here's what to know. As mentioned above, the dispute over funding has to do with Kyrene's DEI policy. The backstory In April, the district's governing board approved a policy that includes a commitment to DEI. "The Kyrene Promise pledges 'to provide welcoming, inclusive learning environments in which every student is honored, valued, and feels a strong sense of belonging and purpose.' We stand behind that commitment," read a statement district superintendent Laura Toenjes gave us previously. "All Kyrene policies, including policies around inclusion and social-emotional wellness, are in compliance with state and federal law, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. I encourage anyone with questions to read the language in Kyrene's policies, some of it pulled directly from Title VI." The other side The board made the decision after the Trump Administration told schools to drop it, or risk forfeiting federal funding. Horne eventually got wind of what the governing board did, and issued the ultimatum. Horne said it's not about compliance. He said the matter is philosophical. He said stressing an emphasis on racial entitlements over merit breeds mediocrity. "I'm glad that the Federal government is helping us now, to get us back on track, and treat people as individuals and concern ourselves their academic progress and their character, and not what race their in," said Horne. Amid a spat over the matter, Kyrene's governing board president spoke out on the policy they approved. What Kevin Walsh said "There's a lot of misconception about what diversity, equity and inclusion looks like, and what that work is in schools," said Walsh. "I invite anyone to look at our policy. Look at the actual policy in Kyrene. Look at our practices. It's not about quotas. It's not about discriminatory practices. It's about including everyone, all students." Why you should care Kyrene has four Title I schools, which rely on that money to provide education to low-income students. The district has high concentrations of low-income students, many of which are minorities. "We know that that is something that the president is focused on, and we firmly believe that we are compliant with all laws. We are not engaging in any discriminatory practices whatsoever," said Walsh. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has issued a statement that is critical of Horne. What AG Mayes Wrote "Last week, Superintendent Horne threatened to withhold more than $1.5 million in federal funding from the Kyrene School District—not because the district broke any laws, but because it proposed a policy that signaled the Districts' commitment to creating a kind, empathetic and respectful workplace. Superintendent Horne cited no legal basis for his threat— because, in fact, there is none. The funding he's threatening to block supports low-income students, teacher training, and other classroom programs. Rather than do his job and ensure that funds appropriated by Congress and the Legislature reach Arizona schools—as the law requires—Superintendent Horne is choosing to engage in ideological nonsense at the expense of students and teachers. Arizona schools should, as always, follow all applicable state and federal laws. But they should feel free to ignore baseless, politicized threats from the State Superintendent's office, which has no legitimate role whatsoever in blocking the distribution of these federal funds." What's next The state's education department has given Kyrene's governing board until April 24 to comply. Horne said he has hired an investigator who will report back to him what they decide to do.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kyrene School District at risk of losing $1.5 million in federal funding due to recent DEI policy
The Brief Kyrene School District could lose $1.5 million in federal funding due to a recently implemented DEI policy. State Superintendent Tom Horne says the policy conflicts with guidance from the U.S. Department of Education. The district is home to four Title I schools that specifically help low-income students. TEMPE, Ariz. - A Valley school district that serves low-income students could be losing $1.5 million of federal money. After approving a DEI related policy, State Superintendent Tom Horne says the Kyrene School District recently approved a "staff social emotional wellness policy" to promote diversity in the workplace. He says this goes against the US Department of Education's guidance, which means they'll have to forfeit federal dollars earmarked for next school year. Why you should care Kyrene has four Title I schools, which rely on that money to provide education to low-income students. What they're saying Kyrene Superintendent Laura Toenjes provided FOX 10 Phoenix with the following statement:
