The Arizona Freedom Caucus, parents, and activists rallied on Monday at the Arizona Capitol Lawn against the plan recently unveiled by Governor Katie Hobbs (D) they warned would “dismantle” Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs), the popular school choice program that boasts more than 70,000 students. Organizers planned the rally to coincide with the first day of the 2024 legislative session in Arizona.
Arizona Freedom Caucus founder Senator Jake Hoffman (R-Queen Creek), who spoke at the rally, told The Arizona Sun Times, “I have a message for Katie Hobbs on behalf of the Arizona Freedom Caucus and every legislative Republican: your attempt to destroy educational opportunities for more than 74,000 Arizona children is dead on arrival at the legislature.”
Hoffman told The Sun Times, “Republican legislators have long been committed to ensuring every child has the chance to achieve opportunity, prosperity, and a vibrant life. Republicans are committed to keeping this promise, and will not waiver at Democrats’ continued attacks on our children.”
At the rally, Hoffman spoke for about 10 minutes while flanked by a crowd of ESA supporters before fielding questions from the media.
In his remarks, Hoffman called Hobbs’ plan an “abhorrent scheme designed to destroy an empowering program that has helped hundreds of thousands of people, not just in academic settings but throughout their lives.” Hoffman added, “Government run schools are failing Arizona children, this is a fact.”
School choice activist Jenny Clark, of Love Your School, wrote in a post on X that the rally “had a massive showing,” and expressed gratitude to the Arizona Freedom Caucus and other Republican legislators for attending the rally.
Opening day of session in AZ! A huge thank you to our ESA families in Arizona, republican legislators and the freedom caucus! We had a massive showing at our rally and press conference today in support of Empowerment Scholarships! #ESAforALL pic.twitter.com/cqVocvVvQi
— Jenny Clark (@ClarkRimsza) January 8, 2024
In remarks delivered at the rally, Clark described having to turn parents away after schools were closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when she said many were seeking access to the ESA program to escape pandemic learning loss, and stressed the importance of Arizona’s expanded ESA program.
Clark said Hobbs “wants to hyper-regulate private schools, making them fearful of accepting Empowerment Scholarship Account students,” and noted Hobbs’ 2023 press release calling for the ESA program to be fully repealed.
“These fear tactics from the governor’s office are not only unbecoming, they’re disgraceful,” Clark told the crowd. “Nearly 74,000 Arizona children are thriving on Empowerment scholarships. We simply want to keep on doing what is best for our kids, for our state, and for our country, by giving our kids an education that works for them.”
Despite the rally, and lawmakers promising Hobbs’ plan is “dead on arrival at the legislature,” the governor received applause and cheers when alluding to her plans for the ESA program to Arizona lawmakers on Monday.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “State Reps Jake Hoffman and Jenny Clark” by State Rep Jenny Clark.
