Arizona's Student Safety

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