Senator Diaz responds to Tom Horne’s support for Department of Education closure

Arizona State Senate 

1700 W. Washington St. 

Phoenix, AZ 85007 

Press Release

PHOENIX— Senator Eva Diaz (LD22), Ranking Democrat on Senate Education Committee, released the following statement regarding Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne’s public support for Donald Trump’s move to close the federal Department of Education:  

“Tom Horne, much like Donald Trump, fails to recognize the importance of government institutions that do not personally benefit them, but rather the taxpayer—both of whom are elected officials paid by and held accountable to the taxpayer.  

The federal Department of Education, in its current form, began operations in 1980 to ensure standardized student achievement and equal access to education for all. Tom Horne stated, “They really don’t do anything for us,” and I find it quite concerning that a man who supported hijacking the school voucher program that was originally designed to support the needs of special education students is now supporting the dismantling of a government agency that plays a critical role in ensuring students with disabilities receive free and appropriate education. Furthermore, Horne has yet to lay out a plan to backfill the funding that would be buried with the federal Department of Education; funding that amounts to 19% of Arizona’s public-school budgets.  

As legislative Republicans line up eager to cut state funding from disabled children and their caregivers to free school lunch for low-income families, Tom Horne needs to shoot straight with Arizonans. Should voters expect to see their public schools continue to lose funding to private schools through vouchers and now take a second hit at the hands of the federal government?  

Downplaying this critical moment in our nation’s history is despicable, I will not let Tom Horne’s careless comments go unnoticed. As elected officials, we work for the people—not Donald Trump. I am concerned that Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction has forgot who his real boss is.”