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Public commenters urge curriculum updates and denounce ESA misinformation at State Board meeting
Summary
During public comment, speakers asked the board to revise history standards to explicitly address the Doctrine of Discovery and harms to Indigenous peoples and urged the board to counter what they described as false claims spread by paid signature gatherers about Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs).
Several members of the public spoke during the call to the public, urging action on curriculum content and calling on the board to counter misinformation about Empowerment Scholarship Accounts.
Curriculum and history standards: Beth Hatcher, a retired educator and member of the Council for Native American Ministry, urged the board to place four items on a future agenda to revise history and social‑science standards: explicitly name the Doctrine of Discovery, refer to Native American genocide by name rather than euphemisms, insert the word "forced" where migration is discussed, and add Indigenous Peoples Day to the list of holidays. Hatcher framed the request as ensuring that Arizona students learn historical and legal context accurately.
Science assessment design: Kevin Rolf, president of the Arizona Science Teachers Association, urged the board to ensure K–8 science assessments measure core ideas across grade bands and to provide cluster‑level reporting to inform instruction. Rolf recommended annual testing or designs that allow meaningful instructional data similar to math and ELA.
ESA misinformation and signature gatherers: A public commenter and later Elizabeth Baker addressed worries about paid signature gatherers and ballot initiatives affecting the ESA program. One commenter said paid signature collectors funded by out‑of‑state interests are spreading demonstrably false claims that ESAs allow parents to spend funds on noneducational items; the commenter urged the board to publicly correct the record and remind voters that ESA law contains spending guardrails. Elizabeth Baker, an ESA parent, strongly defended the program, criticized organizations she said were trying to limit ESAs and said the program has been vital to her children’s education.
What the board did: The board received the comments; Arizona law was noted that board members may not discuss or take legal action on items not on the agenda during the public comment period. There was no immediate policy action on the curriculum request or the ESA complaints recorded in the transcript.
