Pandemic, culture wars revive ‘school choice’ policy push
With memories fresh from pandemic-era school closures and curriculum battles — particularly over how matters of gender and race are taught — legions of parents are trekking to the marble floors of their state Capitols to fight to create education savings accounts, also known as ESAs. Such accounts exist in Arizona and West Virginia, though Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs argues the dollars would be b[...]
Native Americans share trauma of Arizona boarding schools
Native American boarding school survivors of abuse and their descendants shared memories and tears in Arizona on U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland's yearlong “Road to Healing” initiative. They spoke Friday at a school in the Gila Indian River Community just south of Phoenix before a large audience that included Gov. Katie Hobbs and Democratic U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego.
Searchers for missing girl find remains of child, suspect behind bars in Maricopa County
Authorities searching for the body of a missing 4-year-old girl have found the remains of a child, but have not yet identified them as Athena Brownfield, who authorities say was beaten to death Christmas night, while a suspect in the case is behind bars in Maricopa County, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.
Gress proposes lowering age required to serve in legislature
Arizona voters could decide next year how they feel about having people who aren't yet old enough to drink making state laws.
Senators visit Arizona, Texas border in search for solutions
Politicians, tribal leaders and the head of a local humanitarian group in Arizona's Yuma County called on a politically diverse delegation of senators from around the U.S. to pass immigration reform amid an increase in migrant arrivals that can overwhelm local resources.
Law protects export of sacred Native American items from US
Federal penalties have increased under a newly signed law intended to protect the cultural patrimony of Native American tribes, immediately making some crimes a felony and doubling the prison time for anyone convicted of multiple offenses.
Tribal leaders welcome return of White House summit, administration pledges
For the first time in six years, leaders of federally recognized tribes from across the country gathered in Washington to meet with Biden administration officials in a gathering one Oklahoma leader called “extremely powerful.”
States move to keep court from lifting Trump asylum policy
A coalition of conservative-leaning states is making a last-ditch effort to keep in place a Trump-era public health rule that allows many asylum seekers to be turned away at the southern U.S. border.
Critics worry about impact of ban on books with sexually explicit materials in schools
A new ban on books containing sexual content is impacting Arizona public schools, and critics worry self-censoring will add further stress to already overburdened teachers.
24 states get $560M for cleanup of wells
The Interior Department is giving Arizona and 23 other states a total of $560 million to start cleaning high-priority derelict oil and gas wells abandoned on state and private land, the department said August 25.
Walkout teachers now in a drive to win US statehouse posts
Kathy Hoffman and the other teacher candidates represent a wild-card political movement following the teacher-driven #RedForEd effort that drew support from parents and school children in Arizona, Colorado, Kentucky, Oklahoma and West Virginia
Why they walked
Arizona teachers went on strike for a shorter period of time, and will end up with higher wages than teachers who walked out before them.