Local Opinion: Trust in AZ schools can’t be legislated

One of my favorite parts of being a teacher was always getting to know students’ families. Whether it was learning about firefighter culture from a family of first responders or receiving a CD of corridos recorded by a student’s grandfather, I cherished the opportunity to cultivate these relationships. I was honored that families trusted me with their children’s education, and I worked hard to maintain their trust.

When I look at the education bills circulating through the Arizona Legislature, however, I see policies that seek to fracture and erode that trust. These bills imply that legislation and punishment — not dialogue and collaboration — are the keys to supporting our children. Here are some of the bills that could potentially pit families and schools against each other.

HB 2808 is an overreaching bill that would take local control of schools away from Arizona communities. The bill states that if a public school receives a letter grade of D or F for three consecutive years, it could be taken over by an in-state or out-of-state charter company. These charters could be paid $2,000 per child — with no fiscal accountability outlined in the bill — to “turn around” these schools.

Not surprisingly, this bill will primarily impact students in low-income schools. These students often face challenges like food insecurity, chronic absenteeism, and limited English proficiency. External factors related to poverty can affect student performance on standardized tests, which accounts for 80% of a school’s letter grade. Are Arizonans willing to forfeit local control of our schools to out-of-state companies simply because students are struggling? Surely we can use that money — and leverage the relationships between teachers and families — to address the endemic issues that affect student performance instead.

SB 1211 would require public district and charter schools to post a list of every item a teacher uses or discusses with students within seven days of its use. Many schools already require teachers to submit lesson plans, provide syllabi and newsletters, and share links to curriculum and assignments. Plus, for the entire year teachers instructed over Zoom, parents had a front-row seat to their children’s classes. With so much transparency, why are we asking teachers for even more proof of their class content?

Under this bill, along with those backed by conservative think tanks in 16 other states, parents can protest and potentially sue schools if an issue is not addressed to their satisfaction. Call me old-fashioned, but when I have a question about my children’s assignments, I don’t ask through a lawsuit. I communicate with their teachers. Instead of legislating unnecessary busywork for educators, parents can partner directly with schools to learn about their children’s curriculum.

HB 2112 is another bill that utilizes threats to dictate what is taught in schools. This bill would ban instruction that may cause students to feel “discomfort” based on their race, ethnicity or sex. Offending teachers could lose their license, with school districts facing penalties up to $5,000. It’s difficult to imagine a history class even existing under this law. What major world event doesn’t prompt us to confront uncomfortable topics? Again, this is a bill that encourages litigation over relationships, and further erodes confidence between stakeholders.

SB 1657 is the natural final step for a Legislature intent on sowing seeds of distrust for public schools. This Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) expansion is one of a few proposals that points families directly to private schools and funds its vouchers with Classroom Site Fund money that was intended for public schools. Although Arizona voters rejected expanding ESAs in 2018, our Legislature just won’t stop using them as a tool to further defund the public schools attended by 92% of Arizona’s children.

Parents and schools must work together to fix our fractured educational system, but we don’t need bureaucrats to legislate the terms of those partnerships. When we cut through the political rhetoric, we can come together for the good of those who matter most: our children.