We did accomplish one thing last week -- the passage of SB1096 which provided over $40 million additional for English Language Learners.  Today (4/14) the Governor allowed this to become law without her signature.  She can then say that she did her part to avoid the fines that were scheduled to start tomorrow, but that she didn't think the funding was adequate.  In her veto letter she also indicated other areas that she believes are still open to judgment by the federal court judge.

This simply has to stop at some point.  We cannot continue to let a judge tell us what the state of Arizona should spend to educate students whose first language is not English.  We currently spend over $50 million (about 1% of our K-12 funding of $5 billion), to which we are proposing to add the $40.  At some point, this decision has to be left to the state to decide what is appropriate and what we can afford.

When we were debating this bill on the floor of the House I said publicly what I've been saying privately for several years:  At the risk of being accused a racist or bigot, I believe the best way for these children to learn English is for the parents, when the children are present, to turn off the foreign language radio and TV and let the kids be immersed in English.  This will add to whatever they're being taught in school and help them learn more quickly.  I also stated that the subject of the original lawsuit, Miriam Flores, went on to graduate from high school and college and is now a nurse.  How disadvantaged was she from our supposed lack of funding?  And how many more students are just like her, motivated to learn and achieve no matter what their circumstances?

House and Senate leadership is committed to continue to fight this lawsuit for the principles stated above.  It is costing us money, but it's a fight worth funding.

Again, nothing further on the budget talks.  The troops are getting restless!  And no progress on the two bills I still have over in the Senate.  Maybe next week?

Until then,

Nancy