Tom Horne Superintendent | Arizona Department of Education
Horne dissents in State Board vote to delay process to remove DEI language from teaching standards
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has voiced his opposition to the State Board of Education's decision to postpone opening the rule-making process that would begin removing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language from state teaching standards.
"I respectfully but strongly disagree with the vote to postpone opening the rule-making process. The president issued an Executive Order requiring DEI language to be removed from programs funded by federal dollars. It made it abundantly clear that federal education funding is at risk if DEI language remains in education programs. Failure to comply with federal guidance may result in the loss of an estimated $866 million to Arizona schools. That is a major funding cut to our schools, and we need to begin dealing with this as soon as possible," Horne said.
He continued, "Not only is the $866 million at risk, there is a philosophical issue at stake too. All people should be judged based on their character and ability, not their race or ethnicity. DEI language and programs promote the exact opposite, and they have no place in the classroom. The teaching standards, unfortunately, include DEI references, and they need to be removed."
The current teaching standards mention teaching "equitably" and emphasize responsiveness to students' cultural backgrounds and perspectives. They also refer to understanding students' social, emotional, and cultural needs in the classroom.
Alerts Sign-up