Parents of K-12 students need to be aware of dangerous school board candidates

Several groups are doing everything in their power to control the thought processes of the younger generation. Students, faculty, public school administrators, and school board members should not be subjected to this mentality that embraces censorship and a society that does not read books, think independently, learn about history, or appreciate the beauties of nature.

For a majority of the million-plus K-12 children in Arizona, public education is the backbone for their future. It is a travesty that several groups are doing everything in their power to control the thought processes of the younger generation.

This reality is very disruptive to public education. Students, faculty, public school administrators, and school board members should not be subjected to this Fahrenheit 451 mentality that embraces censorship and a society that does not read books, think independently, learn about history, or appreciate the beauties of nature. Dedicated employees of schools and school districts should not have to suffer the consequences from being terrorized by those perpetuating fear mongering and lies.

Joanie Rose

As an eye witness to this extremism and vitriol, I observed these angry education protesters show no respect or understanding for the countless hours teachers spend researching and preparing lessons so their students will be knowledgeable in a competitive world.

It is time to step up and support school officials and teachers who, in todays world, are working under the most difficult of circumstances.

The questionable grownups who attend school board meetings have no good intentions. They participate in public comments not to promote or improve education but to spread unfounded conspiracies like Critical Race Theory (CRT). Nowhere in any Arizona public school system is CRT part of the curriculum.

To make a bad situation worse, the same folks want to remove books while targeting Pulitzer Prize-winning authors and topics that have enlightened students for decades.

Please understand, these people also refused to protect children during the pandemic. They screamed, in mob-like fashion, at school board meetings that students did not need to wear masks or be inoculated despite the advice of highly trained medical professionals, doctors, and scientists who encouraged both measures.

The only way to stop anti-education candidates is VOTE for candidates who actually care about education and the wellbeing of all students. Teachers should be allowed to teach facts and not be intimidated to fictionalize history.

Take time to learn about the men and women running for school board positions. Sadly, many candidates are propped up by anti-public education groups and profiteers such as The Goldwater Institute, Turning Point USA (Charlie Kirk), Freedom Works (Koch Brother-owned), and Purple for Parents (Three Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board candidates). These national groups and their candidates openly advocate for privatizing our schools through defunding and using vouchers. This action eliminates special needs children from educational opportunities.

School board races arent normally high profile or well-funded, but these groups have vowed to influence school boards and decimate the public institution of education. Deep pocketed millionaires and billionaires (Peter Thiel) will be laughing all the way to the bank on our taxpayer dimes. Please do your homework! Dont just vote for a name or a party, vote for a sincere person you know truly cares about education for all students.

Joanie Rose

Scottsdale