Arizona's top education boss, Superintendent Tom Horne, has come out to applaud the no-nonsense approach taken by the heads of the state's two major universities in the wake of student protests. Pointing to the leadership at Arizona State University (ASU) and the University of Arizona (UArizona), Horne argued that K-12 schools dealing with similar demonstrations could stand to learn a thing or two.

In a statement, Horne said, “Robert Robbins and Michael Crow deserve exceptional praise for standing up to antisemitism on their campuses. This stands in stark contrast to how many colleges, universities, and ideological faculty members have kowtowed to disruptive pro-Hamas demonstrations. It is also an excellent template for K-12 schools in Arizona to follow should any attempt be made by students to copy the type of protests that have shut down portions of college campuses and caused Jewish students to feel unsafe.” 

Horne drew chilling parallels with the past, referencing the Nazis' rise to power and warning that  “Our DNA is no different from the DNA of Germans in the 1930s, and Nazis started with young thugs attacking people on the street. We need to be vigilant.” His comments come in the backdrop of alarming reports, such as Jewish students at Columbia being targeted by rock throwers, or a Yale student attacked with a pole bearing a Palestinian flag, according to a public statement by Horne.

Detailing the university presidents' actions, Horne highlighted UArizona’s President Robbins' call for peaceful expression of First Amendment rights. Robbins' own words, calling for civility, had been met with accusations of being 'inflammatory' from protest leaders. Despite such backlash, Robbins' words seemed to have steered recent protests into peaceful channels. Meanwhile, at ASU, President Crow had to deal with more disruptive behavior. Horne underscored Crow's "decisive action" that quickly helped to restore calm. In his view, the assertiveness and integrity displayed by Robbins and Crow in handling these protests are not just commendable but embody the necessary steps to maintain order and safety on school campuses across Arizona.