Sen. Catherine Miranda Responds to Attacks on Arizona Educators

Phoenix, AZ — Senator Catherine Miranda issued the following statement in response to comments from Republican Education Committee Chairs, Rep. Matt Gress and Sen. Hildy Angius criticizing Arizona educators after school closures caused by widespread staff absences:

“This is another example of the Republican Party claiming to stand for freedom and the Constitution while criticizing educators for exercising their constitutional right to speak out.

Educators are human beings and Americans first. They have the same rights as anyone else to raise their voices when they believe their students and communities are being harmed.

What we are seeing in our school communities is not a ‘political stunt.’ It is a response to real fear, real stress, and real disruption. The true disturbance facing our schools is not educators using their leave, it is armed federal agents entering school communities and targeting young children in spaces that are supposed to be safe for learning.

Recently, a 5-year-old student, still wearing his backpack, was taken away by unidentified men in Minnesota and used as a pawn to arrest his father in deeply troubling political tactics. That is the kind of trauma our educators and students are dealing with.

When educators say they have seen enough, we should be asking why. Threats to silence them will not solve the problem, and they will not work.”

Senator Miranda emphasized that parents’ frustration is understandable, but the focus should be on addressing the root causes affecting school communities.

“Parents expect stability, safety, and learning. So do educators. But you cannot demand stability in schools while ignoring the conditions that are creating fear and instability for students and staff.

If Republican lawmakers truly care about keeping classrooms open and focused on learning, they should stop attacking educators and start addressing the real issues affecting our schools and our communities.”