Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona teachers are worried schools could lose the ability to inform parents about bond measures and other election information that affect their children's education if lawmakers pass a bill moving through the Legislature.
The House gave initial approval Thursday to a bill with a provision blocking school or charter school employees from speaking or distributing information in an official capacity to influence an election. It now awaits a formal vote.
Senate Bill 1172 by Sen. Kimberly Yee, R-Phoenix, was primarily designed to prevent school districts or charter schools from releasing information such as student directories to any person or group for political activities. Yee said schools are misusing students' information for political advocacy such as budget overrides and bond measures. The bill would address areas not already covered under federal law, she said.
"The bill clarifies that we are talking about advocacy for proposed legislation," Yee said.
On the House floor, Rep. Lisa Otondo, D-Yuma, said it would be difficult for schools to comply with the bill. "I am not a fan of this bill nor this amendment, and I just want to say this puts our school boards and our superintendents in a very sticky situation trying to decipher between political and commercial information," Otondo said.
A floor amendment by Republican Rep. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, would amend the bill to impose up to a $5,000 fine for any school employee speaking about elections or pending legislation, including bond measures that affect school funding. School officials shouldn't be able to use public resources or speak in an official capacity for political purposes, Kern said.
"If they are going to act as a teacher, which is paid for by the taxpayers, they should not be doing any political activity," he said.
Heidi Vega, a spokeswoman for the Arizona School Boards Association, said Kern's provision could prevent schools from providing parents with information that would affect their children's education. Although schools would be allowed to provide facts, giving examples of a proposal's impacts could be seen as illegal advocacy if the bill becomes law, she said.
"This bill is basically putting a gag order on school officials when it comes to providing any kind of information that is factual to stakeholders," she said.
The provision would prevent school officials from speaking about issues even when they directly affect school funding, Vega said. "We wouldn't be able to provide information on what programs would be cut," she said.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
