An online social justice curriculum funded by Big Tech giants, EverFi, promised $15 gift cards to teachers who successfully got other teachers to start their students on one lesson.
According to an email obtained by the AZ Free News, Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) teachers were incentivized with $15 Amazon gift cards by an EverFi director of K-12 implementation. One of EverFi’s foremost contributors is Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos through his investment company, Bezos Expeditions.
“As a thank you, earn a $15 Amazon gift card for every teacher you refer who gets students started on one EVERFI lesson – just click the Invite a Teacher button (terms) I’m here for you – schedule a time with me to support you and/or your students,” read the email.
PUSD has incorporated EverFi for years, according to staffers.
Key resources highlighted on EverFi’s website focus on social-emotional learning, an offshoot of critical race theory (CRT); health care equity; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).
“Until we have affordable and accessible healthcare for everyone, there is an inequity that exists in this country.” – Mayor Johnny Ford
If you missed our big news this morning: we’re launching the first-ever #healthcare literacy course for high schoolers! This is why ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/N3eVvAnNWf
Curriculum obtained by AZ Free News showed that EverFi lesson plans included the histories of Juneteenth and affirmative action, assertion of systemic racism, and the promotion of equity instead of equality.
EverFi is advertised as free for K-12 teachers. The company reportedly offsets the cost through national and regional partners.
PUSD staffers confirmed that although the district has used EverFi for around a decade, educators use it sporadically. In an email obtained by AZ Free News, Executive Director of K-12 Curriculum & Professional Development Marla Hobbs claimed that few teachers utilize Everfi. She added that those who do use the resource use it on odd occasions.
EverFi was founded in 2008, with a focus on obtaining major corporate sponsors to fund their educational initiatives.
Now, over a decade later, they have accomplished just that. Some of their noteworthy contributors over the years include Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO; Evan Williams, founder of Twitter, Medium, and Blogger; and Eric Schmidt, Google Executive Chairman.
Other big businesses also have their hands in Arizona’s public education. Companies like Boeing and Wells Fargo are part of the Arizona Educational Foundation Board, an initiative focused on bringing social justice to classrooms. The Arizona Educational Foundation has pushed a program called “Our World,” which aims to provide educator and business training and workshops on antiracism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.
Much like EverFi, Our World is free of charge to Arizona schools.
Corinne Murdock is a contributing reporter for AZ Free News. In her free time, she works on her books and podcasts. Follow her on Twitter, @CorinneMurdock or email tips to corinnejournalist@gmail.com.
This week, Governor Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2596, paving the way to push more broadband into underserved rural areas and tribal lands. The bill allows private broadband providers to install, operate and maintain telecommunications equipment within the Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) rights-of-way.
HB 2596, sponsored by Rep. Dr. Regina Cobb, also allows ADOT to grant access to its own broadband conduit to private telecommunications companies in a “non-exclusive and non-discriminatory manner” to reduce the cost of installing broadband infrastructure in rural areas and tribal areas, the Governor’s Office said.
“Arizona is growing and people are moving here at a record pace — and we need to ensure all parts of our booming state are connected,” Gov. Ducey said, echoing the commitment he made during his State-of-the-State address in January. “House Bill 2596 does that, and it will help Arizonans living in rural and tribal areas gain access to fast, affordable and reliable internet.”
Additionally, the legislation creates the “Smart Highway Trust Fund” to deposit leasing revenues generated from the use of ADOT rights-of-way, which are to be used for operation and maintenance of telecommunications facilities within ADOT’s rights-of-way.
“We are excited to be part of this partnership to close the broadband gap and meet the needs of Arizonans,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski.
Unions are in decline in America, and it’s no surprise as to why. Most do not offer any sort of value to the overwhelming majority of workers.
You would think they could take a hint. In 2017, workers at Nissan in Mississippi and Boeing in South Carolina rejected union representation by a wide margin. In 2019, Volkswagen employees in Tennessee voted against unionizing for the second time in recent years. And just last month, employees at an Amazon facility in Alabama largely rejected joining the Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union.
So, what solution has labor unions come up with? Will they focus on bringing more value to members or potential members? Will their leadership stop supporting liberal and other far-left causes? Will they stop pushing socialist policies and politicians?
Nope. Their solution is to force American workers to join unions through legislation.
H.R. 842, also known as the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, would enact sweeping changes to the National Labor Relations Act. And it’s dangerous in 3 particular ways.
The PRO Act repeals all state right-to-work laws. Currently, 27 states have right-to-work laws, including Arizona. These laws ensure workers can choose whether or not to join a union and pay for representation. The PRO Act would remove these laws, which could cause some workers to lose more of their wages and others to lose their jobs…
On May 10, Governor Doug Ducey signed SB 12 71 into law, increasing the long term supply of fully licensed physicians. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Nancy Barto, passed both chambers with bipartisan support.
The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons applauded Ducey and Barto for their work on SB 1271, which they say “puts in place commonsense reforms that benefit benefit patient care facilities, medical graduates, and patients in Arizona in both the short and long term.”
SB 1271 directs the Arizona Medical Board (AMB) and the Arizona Board of Osteopathic Examiners in Medicine and Surgery (ABOE) to grant a one-year transitional training permit (transitional training permit) to qualified applicants.
The bill also establishes training permittee eligibility, qualifications, permitted duties and supervision requirements.
Physician say the new law offers expanded options for those who unmatched graduates, who currently have no opportunities to train or serve. For facilities, say the physicians, SB 1271 increases the pool of “high caliber individuals available to serve under supervision.”
The physicians believe the reforms also benefit residency programs as they strengthen the skills of future applicants.
On Friday, Governor Doug Ducey ordered flags at all state buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise to sunset tomorrow, Saturday, May 15, in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day.
Every May 15, Peace Officers Memorial Day pays tribute to local, state, and federal law enforcement officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice or been injured in the line of duty. The observance takes place during Police Week.
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, more than 800,000 law enforcement officers serve in the United States today. Each year, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial adds new names to the wall. The average is 163 deaths per year. Fallen law enforcement officers represent all levels of law enforcement, including local, state, federal, tribal, and military law enforcement. They are family members, husbands, wives, parents, sons, and daughters.
The day honors fallen LEO across the nation and offers support to their surviving family members and officers.
“Arizona’s peace officers are on the frontlines every day serving our communities, protecting others and putting their lives on the line — and some don’t return home after carrying out their duties,” said Ducey. “Arizona is grateful to the heroic men and women who wear the badge, and we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice. This Peace Officers Memorial Day, we take a moment to pause and remember the officers who died in the line of duty and thank those who bravely protect our communities every day.”
