For Immediate Release
Fri, Sept. 16th, 2022
Contact: Josselyn Berry, Jberry@azdem.org
As Schools Ring Alarm Bells, Kari Lake Covers Her Ears
Parents, Teachers and Legislators Demand Solution to Looming School Funding Cuts While Republicans Do Nothing
PHOENIX– Yesterday Democratic state lawmakers and education advocates called on Gov. Doug Ducey to ask lawmakers back for a special session to suspend the aggregate expenditure limit (AEL), warning that schools would soon be in crisis mode if forced to deal with being unable to spend already-allocated school funding.. Schools across Arizona could effectively face cuts of more than $1 billion if the Republican-led legislature doesn’t take action to lift the 40-year-old rule restricting the spending of already approved funding for our schools.
Kari Lake has not only been silent on this critical issue facing schools and parents, but has offered no plan for Arizona’s compounding education issues. Katie Hobbs came out in support of educators and students backing the call to suspend the aggregate expenditure limit and save schools from dire budget cuts.
Back in February, during the height of the legislative battle to avert nearly $1.2 billion in education cuts, Kari Lake gleefully opposed saving our schools from the funding cliff. After a vote to provide full funding for K-12 schools, Lake retweeted a message of support for the GOP legislators who opposed the funding, instead voting to push schools off the funding cliff and force teacher layoffs and program cuts “Take note! Vote for the names in RED on this list. Standing up for parents rights. Standing up for our children. Showing backbone!” Lake tweeted. Meanwhile, at the same time Katie Hobbs called on the Senate to raise the education spending limit and save K-12 schools from “this manufactured funding crisis.”
Following the February vote, the Arizona Mirror reported, “It’s unclear why Lake views voting against raising the limit as a vote for parents’ rights and children. Her campaign did not respond to multiple inquiries from the Arizona Mirror.” Lake has previously shrugged off Arizona’s education issues. Lake listed Arizona’s education issues as the sort of things that “don’t matter” if she doesn’t address “election integrity.”
“Lake has spent more time calling for government mandated spy cameras in classrooms to record our children than she has putting forth a real plan to address Arizona’s education issues, like our teacher shortage, consistent underfunding of our schools or imminent school budget cuts,” said Josselyn Berry, spokesperson for the Arizona Democratic Party. “It’s clear that as our schools and parents ring this alarm bell, Kari Lake isn’t listening in spite of the potential economic damage this could mean for local communities. Meanwhile, Katie Hobbs has been a longtime vocal supporter of our parents and teachers, putting out a detailed and comprehensive plan proving she’s ready to work with parents, educators and students to provide a world-class education for all our children.”