Past is Present: AZ’s Newly Elected GOP State Chief Returns for a Second Act
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The Arizona governor’s race received significant attention, but there was another crucial election for the well-being of children in the state that went largely unnoticed. In this lesser-known battle, the position of heading the school system was won by a man who had previously held the job. However, his tenure was marred by multiple scandals that left a lasting impression on some people.
The victorious candidate is Republican Tom Horne, a 77-year-old attorney who was educated at Harvard. He served as the head of the school system from 2003 to 2011 and later served as the state attorney general for four years. Critics of Horne express concerns that he will reverse the progress made under Democratic incumbent Kathy Hoffman, whom he narrowly defeated in the election. They fear that Horne will relax the standards surrounding the state’s recently expanded and highly debated voucher program.
Horne’s return to office alarms those who remember his previous actions, such as dismantling bilingual education in the state and advocating for the banning of an ethnic studies program that was credited with better engaging Hispanic students by teaching them about their own history. Currently, Horne is fixated on a new concern, the concept of critical race theory, which he believes is an extension of the problem surrounding ethnic studies. He argues that children are being taught to view each other solely through the lens of race, while he believes that what truly matters is knowledge and actions. He rejects the idea of race being a primary factor in how individuals should be treated, advocating instead for treating each other as unique individuals.
In 2017, a court ruled that Horne’s lobbying for the ban on ethnic studies in the Tucson Unified School District was racist and violated students’ constitutional rights. However, Horne maintains his position, arguing against the court’s ruling even after more than a decade has passed. He describes himself as "the opposite of a racist" and supports a comprehensive curriculum that includes teaching the history of all groups, including the injustices of slavery, Jim Crow, and events like the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921.
Apart from his stance on education, Horne has made various other promises aimed at improving student performance and campus safety. He plans to prioritize testing, move away from social-emotional learning, increase the presence of firearms on school campuses, enforce stricter discipline policies, and expand the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program. This program, signed into law by Governor Doug Ducey in July, gives eligible families around $6,500 per student each year to be used towards private school tuition or other educational expenses. Initially limited to specific groups of students, such as those attending failing schools or in foster care, the program is now open to all students.
Critics argue that the new voucher program will primarily benefit wealthy families, contrary to Horne’s claims of helping the poor. However, frustrated parents across the country, who have been dissatisfied with school closures and the challenges of distance learning, are advocating for greater flexibility in their children’s education. A ballot measure to revoke the expansion of vouchers in Arizona failed to gather enough signatures during this election cycle.
Beth Lewis, co-founder and executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona, an organization that opposes universal vouchers, has worked in education in the state for 12 years, including teaching at an elementary school in Tempe. She believes that Horne’s plans will only worsen inequality, particularly in low-income schools. Lewis expresses her frustration at the lack of funding for public education, resulting in a lack of resources like counselors, aides, books, and computers. Seeing money being diverted to families already sending their children to elite private schools, who are often wealthy, is disheartening to her. She believes it is a dishonest allocation of funds.
Prior to the expansion, the ESA program had a participation of only 12,127 children, according to state education officials. However, by early December, the number rose significantly to 42,842. Surprisingly, around 67% of the applicants had no previous record of enrolling in public schools, although it is unclear how many of them were already attending private schools or receiving homeschooling education.
However, Lewis, who is concerned about the voucher program, believes that the election of Horne will result in a major setback in other crucial aspects as well. She fears that there will be a considerable regression, citing Horne’s antiquated belief system and extreme authoritarianism. Lewis explains that Horne’s focus on forcing guns on campus and the emphasis on testing, punishment, and a punitive culture surrounding schools is not suitable for the needs and deserving of children.
Nicky Indicavitch, a parent and volunteer in the local school district, shares similar concerns. She believes that Horne’s vow to dismantle social-emotional learning, which he considers "a front for CRT," will deprive teachers of an essential tool to help students manage stress, improve performance, and create a better classroom environment. Indicavitch, who has a background in social work, has witnessed firsthand the negative impact when young people lack the skills to navigate complex social situations.
Political consultant Bill Scheel points out that Horne has always been a divisive candidate who focuses on race-based issues. He highlights that Horne’s tactics and beliefs have not changed in the past two decades. Scheel mentions that Horne wisely stayed away from the public spotlight after his last term, during which he faced investigations for campaign violations, although he believes he was vindicated by the courts. Furthermore, Horne’s decision to hire an assistant attorney general with a questionable past raised criticism.
Horne also faced controversy when he allegedly left the scene of a fender bender in 2012, which led to another scandal due to his relationship with his assistant attorney general, Carmen Chenal. Despite these incidents, Horne denies any major wrongdoing and attributes some of the damages from the accident to the other vehicle owner’s son.
Scheel notes that Horne’s win in the recent election was not a mandate, and emphasizes that Horne has a history of divisive politics centered on race-based issues. Scheel also mentions that Horne’s previous business faced damning findings from the Securities and Exchange Commission, although Horne dismisses these allegations due to their occurrence in the 1970s.
Although Horne managed to avoid attaching himself to the Trump ticket, he faced criticism for his stance on limiting classroom discussions of race and opposition to bilingual education. It is uncertain if these positions played a significant role in a year when Arizona voters approved a measure granting undocumented students access to in-state tuition and state financial aid.
Throughout his campaign, Horne raised and spent over $1 million. It remains to be seen how his policies and controversies will ultimately shape Arizona’s education system and political landscape.
"Under Scheel’s representation, he managed to raise and expend an impressive sum of over $1 million, whereas his opponent, Hoffman, had only acquired $300,000 in funds."
Hoffman’s lackluster campaign ensured that her opponent remained relatively unscathed despite a revelation that would have severely damaged another candidate. It was discovered that Horne had close ties to the disgraced former state Representative, David Stringer, who was accused in 1983 of engaging in illicit activities with minors in exchange for money.
Stringer opted to resign from his position rather than disclose pertinent documents related to the case. Interestingly, he was also involved in Horne’s campaign. Initially, Horne defended Stringer, but eventually distanced himself from the scandal. He admitted to paying Stringer in cash to reimburse the campaign for his in-kind contribution.
Remarkably, this scandal did not gain much attention from voters. Scheel believes that more financial resources could have amplified the impact of this current controversy, causing substantial damage to Horne’s reputation.
Douglas Cole, the Chief Operating Officer of HighGround, a political consulting firm with Republican leanings, stated that Horne has always remained focused on addressing critical issues. Cole described Horne as a policy enthusiast who passionately fights for his beliefs, as evidenced by his tenure as a legislator in the House of Representatives.
However, despite his ambitions for reforming the education system, Horne holds a supervisory and regulatory role. Scheel questions how far he will be able to progress under a Democratic governor and presumably, an attorney general. Cole shares this sentiment and believes that Horne’s efforts may face significant obstacles since he would need to convince 16 senators, 31 House members, and a governor from an opposing party to effect sweeping changes.
Nevertheless, Horne, an avid pianist who regularly performs with local orchestras and supports funding for the arts, is determined to bring about change. He vows to investigate and dismantle any ethnic studies programs that have emerged since he last held his position, emphasizing that the current situation is much worse than it was a decade ago, with these teachings becoming more prevalent.
Horne remarked, "I have been combatting CRT since 2010, which spans 12 years, and for a long time, I felt like a lone voice. It wasn’t until the past couple of years that the rest of the world caught up."
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