A disturbing news report recently revealed that nearly 30
percent of school buses in Arizona failed safety inspections last year. It
also showed that Arizona’s school bus inspection failure rate is among the
highest in the nation.
How does that happen? Could it be because of the shocking
amount of money Republicans have cut Now,
most schools get only $77 per student.
from capital funding for
schools? This is money that is used for things like ensuring school building and
buses are safe. Prior to 2008, schools got around $450 per student for capital
expenses – which is money used for things like building and school bus safety.
Couple that with the fact that Arizona’s
overall per pupil funding remains among the lowest in the country for K-12
public schools and a new question arises: Who is looking out for our
students? Republican leaders continue to claim that they are making education a
priority but their actions speak louder than words: they continue to cut
funding. For years, Democrats have pushed to restore the funding cuts that have
left our schools struggling, sent teachers
fleeing from the state and now appear to be affecting the safety of our
kids.
Enough is enough. It’s time for Republican leaders to
answer for their poor choices and lack of leadership. Democrats will continue to
hold them accountable and fight to get our schools, teachers and students the
resources needed to ensure both safety and success.
#DemsLead
