Last Week This Morning: Want to keep teachers in Arizona? Pay them more!

Want to keep teachers in Arizona? Pay them more! Go figure. Gov. Hobbs’ Educator Retention Task Force has released their findings and recommendations to address Arizona’s teacher shortage, based on a survey of over 8,000 current educators, 700 former educators, and 900 support staff. Most respondents cited low pay as well as lack of support for public school teachers and students in state education policy, with 70% saying they had considered leaving the education profession in the last year. The top recommendations include increasing pay for educators, better benefits, and improved working conditions, such as smaller class sizes.

 

Cochise County Supervisors indicted on criminal election interference charges. County Supervisors Peggy Judd and Tom Crosby have been charged with felony counts of election interference and conspiracy, after they delayed the counting of ballots of over 47,000 Cochise County voters for no legitimate reason. Their decision to cave to MAGA extremists who have attempted to overthrow our elections risked the right of these voters to make their voices heard, and they must be held accountable. Judd and Crosby will be required to pay their own legal expenses, as neither the state nor county will contribute.

On the right track: Passenger rail service is coming back to Phoenix! Arizona will receive federal funding for development of Amtrak services between Phoenix and Tucson, as part of a grant through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Phoenix is the country’s largest city without passenger rail service – this development is expected to have positive economic and environmental impacts for local communities and Arizona as a whole.

 

 

 

AG Mayes discusses Arizona’s fake electors investigation. Don’t miss this video from the Copper Courier’s chief political correspondent, Camaron Stevenson, who sat down with Mayes for an update on the investigation.

 

 

 

“To the End” film screening. Join the Arizona Working Families Party and the Phoenix Environmental Justice Coalition on Thursday, December 14th at 6pm for a free screening of the film “To the End”, the story of four inspiring young women of color who work together to defend their generation’s right to a future, leading the movement behind the most sweeping climate change legislation in U.S. history. RSVP here.