Tom Horne Superintendent | Arizona Department of Education
Legislation proposed by Senator John Kavanaugh aimed to restrict public school employees from using pronouns or first names for students that differ from their biological sex or those not listed on school records without parental consent. The bill also sought to limit access to facilities such as restrooms and locker rooms based on biological sex.
Tom Horne expressed surprise at the governor's decision to veto the bill, stating, “It’s surprising to me that the governor did not recognize the legislation’s value in promoting common sense, girls’ privacy, safety, and the rights of parents to be fully informed about what their children are doing while at school or related activities. Public schools are entrusted to educate children, not to interfere with the rights of parents to raise their children as they see fit. This veto is contrary to overwhelming public support for protecting girls and parental rights.”
Horne further commented on the importance of the legislation: “The vetoed legislation would affirm those rights and would have codified protection for girls who deserve to have private spaces such as restrooms and locker rooms where they are not exposed to biological males. In the past several years parents have made it clear they do not want schools to override their role as parents, and they have also made it clear that girls have the right to privacy without the presence of biological boys in places like locker rooms and restrooms.”
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