Amid a tempest of discontent, Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne has made quite the claim, stating that the ire around 'woke ideology' in schools is contributing significantly to school closures—a dynamic that has embroiled several school districts in controversy, with Scottsdale Unified District's recent activities adding fuel to the fiery debate, according to the Arizona Department of Education.
Horne made head-turning comments suggesting an overspend on campaigning for 'woke' school board members, who allegedly do not represent their community's values, is in part what's driving parents to uproot their children from certain schools, "This happens because of the expenditure of a large amount of campaign funds to elect woke school board members who do not represent their communities," Horne said, "Parents have a choice, so they move their children," in a statement obtained by the Arizona Department of Education.
In a dig specifically at the Scottsdale school district, he criticized their initiatives which he believes are tantamount to pushing 'woke ideology' on students and their parents, referencing a case brought to light by a parental group about a district-supported bicycling event promoting 'nonbinary youth, gender expansive' children and girls, "The most recent example was discovered by a parent group that discovered the district is using its resources to promote ‘nonbinary youth, gender expansive’ children and girls to participate in a bicycling event; heterosexual males need not apply" according to the Arizona Department of Education report.
The superintendent's concerns extend beyond Scottsdale, with mention of the Kyrene Elementary and Paradise Valley districts, where dwindling student numbers and school closures speak to a wider trend, "That district has lost so many students that schools have to be closed, as is true of the Paradise Valley district, which has also unfortunately embraced left-wing ideas at the expense of academics," Horne disclosed, attributing the closures to a devotion to woke principles over educational fundamentals, in context detailed by the Arizona Department of Education.
