Local opinion: Arizona needs a teacher in charge: Vote Teresa Leyba Ruiz

Arizona public schools made me the first person in my family to graduate from college. I will never forget how proud my mom was that day. But I didn’t get there alone. Public education was my door of opportunity, and it changed my life. I think about that door a lot. When I’m with friends, we talk about how hard it is to buy a home, find a good job, and get ahead. Right now, everything's just so hard. It doesn’t help that Arizonans are watching their tax dollars go through a very different door.

ESA (Empowerment Scholarship Account) funds, paid for by taxpayers, have been spent on luxury goods, Disney trips, and even lingerie. The program costs $1 billion a year, draining resources from public education. Audits have found widespread misspending. Purchases under $2,000 were automatically approved, meaning no one was even checking. While so many Arizona families struggle, Republicans have failed to act. It’s shameful.

Someone has to follow the money, ask where it went, and hold those responsible accountable. That’s exactly why the State Superintendent matters. The Superintendent runs the Arizona Department of Education—not just paperwork, but as the chief advocate for over a million students. This office can shine a light on how education dollars are spent and demand answers. That requires a leader willing to use that power.

Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz is a third-generation Arizonan. Both her parents graduated from Pueblo High School. She began her career as a math teacher and has spent 35 years in education. She later became president of Glendale Community College, where many Arizonans take their first step toward a degree. Like me, Teresa is a first-generation college graduate. She understands what it feels like when education opens a door your family never had—and knows what’s at stake when that door starts to close. And she has a plan. Teresa wants a public dashboard showing exactly how ESA money is spent and an end to automatic approval of purchases under $2,000. Every taxpayer should be able to see where their money goes. It’s a simple idea that’s long overdue.

The Superintendent’s race isn’t the flashiest or most talked-about contest on the ballot; I get it. We have a Republican candidate for governor, Andy Biggs, who has driven up costs in Washington and protects billionaires. We have Warren Petersen running for attorney general, who is just as corrupt as the occupant of the White House. Oh, and an election denier — Alex Kolodin — running to oversee our elections in Arizona. It’s hard to keep up.

But this race matters just as much. The winner will serve a four-year term starting in January, with real responsibility for Arizona’s schools, teachers, and students. Behind every student is a family hoping a door will open for them. I was one of those students. I don’t want to be the last.

That’s why I’m voting for Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and make sure we elect Democrats up and down the ballot in November. I hope you’ll join me.