Teachers’ union celebrates Arizona’s legislative flip, statewide wins for public education

Marisol Garcia

Submitted photo/Arizona Education Association

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What are your thoughts on how the wave of Democratic midterm victories in Arizona will impact education across the state? Tell us in 300 words or less at yourvalley.net/letters, or email your comments, name, street address and contact number to azopinions@iniusa.org.

OPINION — Following landmark midterm election results across the state, the Arizona Education Association is celebrating victories for public education and working families, attributing historic wins to years of organizing by AEA members up and down the state.  

This election has produced a monumental shift in state leadership: Voters re-elected pro-public education Gov. Katie Hobbs, Attorney General Kris Mayes and Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, while flipping the Arizona Legislature to a pro-public-education majority. Projections also show pro-public-education candidate Nick Mansour is leading for state treasurer and educator  Teresa Leyba Ruiz is leading for superintendent of public instruction.  

There are also big wins for education at the local level. Across the state, pro-public-education candidates are making gains on school boards. One exciting example is Paradise Valley, where voters elected former Paradise Valley Education Association member, AEA member and current AEA retired member Rick Ross to the school board.  

This historic shift did not happen by accident, and it did not happen overnight. This is the direct result of years of hard work and organizing from our educators, our union siblings and our communities.

However, our work is not done. Today is when we start building a brighter future for our children and our educators. Our work made this outcome possible, and we are ready to turn that momentum into real results for public schools.

Marisol Garcia is president of the Arizona Education Association, a Phoenix-based labor union that represents more than 24,000 public school employees across the state. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to azopinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.