Hundreds of Brophy College Preparatory (Brophy) parents, alumni, and donors urged the private school to overhaul its vaccine mandate in a letter issued Friday. Earlier this month, Brophy imposed a vaccine mandate similar to President Joe Biden’s mandate for federal employees and contractors – if an individual isn’t fully vaccinated, they must adhere to masking restrictions, social distancing measures, and frequent testing, not to mention limits on extracurricular opportunities.
In their letter, this Brophy coalition recommended a series of modifications to the mandate, each prefaced with lengthy citations from COVID-19 thought leaders like the CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO). The coalition suggested elimination of asymptomatic testing; testing of vaccinated students if asymptomatic testing remains; allowance for on-campus testing; exemptions included for medical justification, religious objections, natural immunity, and informed refusal; a zero-tolerance policy for any retaliation against families who capitalize on exemptions; no vaccine requirement for overnight activities; and allowance of a negative test in lieu of quarantine for students exposed to COVID-19.
The letter claimed that the mandate exempting vaccinated students from biweekly testing failed to follow its own rationale of ensuring student safety. It cited a July study from the CDC, which indicated that vaccination doesn’t necessarily reduce viral load or prevent transmission. It also questioned the scientific validity of enforcing quarantines for unvaccinated students, even if they test negative for COVID-19.
Additionally, the letter questioned why biweekly testing was sufficient to rule out COVID-19 cases in unvaccinated students for in-person learning, but not for overnight activities. Brophy currently requires students to be vaccinated for overnight activities and any extracurriculars outside of the Phoenix metropolitan area. It also questioned why the vaccine mandate didn’t address the interactions Brophy students would have with non-Brophy students on the weekends – those that may not be tested regularly or vaccinated – but extended oversight to overnight activities with Brophy students required to be vaccinated or tested.
On the same subject of Brophy’s testing requirements, the letter questioned why at-home and on-campus tests weren’t permissible, but laboratory or pharmacy tests were admissible regardless of their quality. The letter asserted that officials wanted to increase the cost and inconvenience of being unvaccinated. It also noted that no other corporations, schools, or government agencies in the state were subject to such frequent measures of testing, pointing out the WHO’s advice that asymptomatic testing is unnecessary.
The letter accused Brophy Principal Bob Ryan of crafting the vaccine mandate to be so burdensome that students would eventually relent and get vaccinated.
“Principal Ryan admitted to a television reporter, ‘I’ve heard from some of [BCP parents] who’ve said, “You know, this [choice between vaccination and twice-a-week laboratory tests] has kind of been the piece that’s pushed us over the line and so we’re now going to get our kid vaccinated” and we’re hoping for that actually,’” recounted the letter. (original emphasis included)
The letter also questioned why Brophy hadn’t bothered to accommodate for certain students, such as those with pre-existing chronic or genetic conditions, religious objections, natural immunity, and/or those who choose informed refusal.
The 9-page letter had a total of 35 citations, and 11 pages of signatures. A majority of those 11 pages were filled with the names of hundreds of parents, alumni, donors, and community members.
One city councilmember and 27 former and current state legislators also signed onto the letter.
From the Arizona House, State Representatives Brenda Barton (R-Payson), Leo Biasiucci (R-Lake Havasu City), Walt Blackman (R-Snowflake), Shawnna Bolick (R-Phoenix), Judy Burges (R-Prescott), Joseph Chaplik (R-Scottsdale), Regina Cobb (R-Kingman), John Fillmore (R-Apache Junction), Gail Griffin (R-Hereford), Steve Kaiser (R-Phoenix), Quang Nguyen (R-Prescott), Becky Nutt (R-Clifton), Jacqueline Parker (R-Mesa), Kevin Payne (R-Peoria), Bret Roberts (R-Maricopa), Justin Wilmeth (R-Phoenix), Speaker Pro Tempore Travis Grantham (R-Gilbert), and former State Representative Jill Norgaard (R-Phoenix) all signed onto the letter.
State Senators Nancy Barto (R-Phoenix), Sonny Borrelli (R-Lake Havasu City), David Livingston (R-Peoria), J.D. Mesnard (R-Chandler), Warren Petersen (R-Gilbert), Wendy Rogers (R-Flagstaff), Kelly Townsend (R-Mesa), and former State Senators Sylvia Allen (R-Snowflake) and David Farnsworth (R-Mesa) were named in the letter as well.
Only one from the Phoenix City Council, Councilman Sal DiCiccio, signed onto the letter.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Last Friday, a teenage student and her parents were arrested for trespassing as they advocated for her education. The family was attempting to negotiate their daughter’s forced quarantine with the school principal. According to the parents, Damien and Jennifer Majuta, their daughter was healthy and not proven to be infected. The semester had just begun the previous week.
Sahuarita Unified School District (SUSD) policy requires that individuals potentially exposed to COVID-19 must quarantine for 10 days or until they receive a negative test. Even with a negative test, students must quarantine at least 7 days. Walden Grove High School (WGHS) thereby prohibited the Majutas’ daughter from attending school. Contact tracing indicated that she’d potentially been exposed to an infected individual.
AZ Free News inquired with SUSD about their policies for mitigating learning loss, as well as providing for students who rely on in-person resources such as school meals. SUSD didn’t respond by press time.
Five other adults accompanied the Majutas to contest the apparently-healthy student’s quarantine. When the group of seven wouldn’t leave, Sahuarita Police Department (SPD) responded to the scene. SPD attempted to mediate the situation. Ultimately, they arrested the Majutas for trespassing at WGHS’s insistence. SPD published an account of the incident on Facebook.
Videos captured of the Majutas show them insisting to the officers that they’d broken no laws by bringing their daughter to school.
Jennifer Majuta insisted that trespassing doesn’t apply because her daughter is legally enrolled in the school, and that no laws exist concerning quarantining measures imposed by public schools. Jennifer Majuta pleaded with the officers to understand that their daughter would never get to go to school because of constant quarantines.
“There is no law. They have no justification to remove her from the school. She is legally enrolled in the school. If you want to remove my husband and I – we are her legal guardians, she is an underage minor – you can either arrest her with us, [or] you can leave her here, and we respect you, you can do whatever you need to do, but we will be filming it and we will go peacefully,” said Jennifer Majuta. “You guys are backing somebody – an entity – that is not even based in law.”
An SPD officer responded that the law empowers schools to send home students for any reason. He pleaded with the Majutas to not make them arrest their family. The officer asked if there was anything he could say or do to convince them to leave the campus. Daniel Majuta said that they could allow his daughter the right to receive her education. The officer said he had no control over that.
“The law is – they are asking you to leave, they are asking your daughter to leave,” said the officer.
Damien Majuta emphasized that the arrests needed to be done. He insisted that no other recourse existed. According to the Majutas, they’d attempted to speak with the district and school board on multiple occasions about COVID policy, to no avail.
“People throughout history have [had] to stand up to get things to change,” said Damien Majuta. “The optics are in our favor. The school district is going to get in a lot of trouble for this.”
SPD released the Majutas by citation after photographing and fingerprinting them.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
Several Arizonans, Republican state lawmakers, and organizations are joining forces to secure enough signatures so voters can decide during the November 2022 General Election whether to strengthen existing voter ID requirements.
Arizonans for Voter ID is a political committee sponsoring the ballot initiative which seeks to revise existing voter ID laws for in-person voting and vote-by-mail ballots, as well as individuals who return another voter’s ballot.
Paperwork for the “Arizonans for Voter ID Act” initiative was filed Monday with the Arizona Secretary of State’s Office by committee chair Vicki Vaughn and Bill Luhrs, committee treasurer.
House Majority Leader Ben Toma (R-LD22) will join other lawmakers, including Senators Warren Petersen (R-LD12) and J.D. Mesnard (R-LD17), for a press conference Tuesday at 1:45 p.m. on the Senate lawn to formally launch the initiative effort.
“The vast majority of Arizona voters support voter ID because it is a common-sense and critical election integrity practice that is increasingly implemented around the country,” according to Scot Mussi, president of the Arizona Free Enterprise Club. “This initiative will ensure that no matter when you vote, where you vote, or how you vote, identification will be required.”
In addition to Arizona Free Enterprise Club, other coalition members include The Goldwater Institute, Heritage Action for America, Republican Liberty Caucus of Arizona, Foundation for Government Accountability, Arizona Women of Action, AMAC Action, and the Honest Elections Project Action.
“Election experts have always recognized voting by mail as the voting method most susceptible to error and fraud,” said Jason Snead, executive director of Honest Elections Project Action. “Adding objective identification requirements to Arizona’s mail-in ballots builds voter confidence in elections by ensuring only legal votes are accepted and counted.”
Under the Act, voters who receive their ballot by mail would still sign the voter affidavit section, but would also include their date of birth, In addition, the voter would need to include the last four digits of their social security number, Arizona driver’s license number, or state identification card.
“Arizonans show identification all the time in their daily lives to purchase alcohol, receive unemployment benefits, make major transactions, and board a plane, among others. Requiring identification before casting a ballot is necessary for our elections,” Vaughn said in announcing that the process got underway Monday.
Those interested in more information about the initiative can contact info@azvoterid.com.
The board president of Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA), a Flagstaff charter school, called parents and students who disagree with mask mandates “the worst of humanity who can’t STFU [shut the f*** up]” about their freedom. Governing Board President Cristy Schaefer Zeller leveled these criticisms in a Facebook post late Friday night. Zeller’s complaints followed the first day of NPA’s reinstated mask mandate, during which three students reportedly refused to wear masks.
“We are so angry that we now have to spend our time dealing with the worst of humanity who can’t STFU about their freedom to choose about a piece of fabric on their face,” wrote Zeller.
Zeller called Arizona, Florida, and Texas “banana republics.” She claimed all of Flagstaff’s systems were “falling apart.” Zeller also suggested they treat those expressing opposing beliefs as “a**hole[s]” and “bullies.”
“Don’t be crazy and cause a police situation but show support. We know what to do with bullies. Do it,” wrote Zeller.
Zeller’s social media posts generally depict Republicans in a negative light, calling them “a**holes” and intellectually inferior.
In response to a tweet from Stop the Steal founder Ali Alexander saying that he would give his life to fight for the truth about the election, retweeted by the Arizona Republican Party, Zeller called Trump supporters “idiot a**holes.”
“Apparently these idiot a**holes are ready to die for @realDonaldTrump,” wrote Zeller.
In reference to the October 7 debate between then-Vice President Mike Pence and current Vice President Kamala Harris, Zeller insinuated that Pence had the mental acuity of a toddler.
“Maybe @vp touched his butt hole and then touched his eyes and got pink eye. Like a toddler,” wrote Zeller.
As of press time, Zeller’s post criticizing those opposed to masks was public. The entirety of Zeller’s post is reproduced below:
“What’s on my mind Facebook? A whole crap ton of anxiety. That’s what is on my mind.
I am deeply worried about our educators and health care workers. I have seen and heard things this week that are frankly shocking. Things that are unacceptable in the wealthiest country in the world.
Maybe it’s better in states that aren’t devolved banana republics like Arizona (I see you TX and FL). Here, in Flagstaff, AZ, our systems are falling apart in very frightening ways. I am not being dramatic. I have spoken with dozens of people in education and healthcare that are about to break, if they are not already broken. They are angry, sad, and defeated. They love their professions, but despise their jobs right now.
The anger and frustration is electric. It did not have to be this way. We are so angry dealing with the worst of humanity who can’t STFU about their freedom to choose about a piece of fabric on their face.
So what do we do? We know we can’t change minds of a portion of the population. I can’t waste my time on them anymore. My like-minded people, here is what we can do:
*If you see someone being an a**hole (picketing your child’s school, accosting a school administrator, demanding unreasonable things from a health care provider)… step in. Be brave. Be a helper. Don’t be crazy and cause a police situation but show support. We know what to do with bullies. Do it.
*Write a thank you note, send an email to the educators and healthcare workers in your life. The small things make all the difference.
*Become an activist. Write your lawmakers, submit public comment and demand better.
*Be kind and patient. If things are imperfect or inconvenient at the school or the hospital, know that the front line person you are talking to is not to blame. They showed up for work. It’s a systemic problem resulting from lack of staffing, general a**holery from the highest levels, messed up politics, lack of funding, and things beyond their control.
Finally.. Us liberals tend to want to be fixers and empathetic and all the rainbows and unicorns. No more. As MTV taught us… it’s time to stop being polite and start being real. Get busy.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
More than 7,500 members of the American Legion family are expected to converge at the Phoenix Convention Center later this month for the 102nd National Convention of the American Legion and the 100th Convention of the American Legion Auxiliary.
The event runs from Aug. 27 through Sept. 2, and estimates show Convention will contribute $10 to $15 million to the Phoenix economy through shopping, dining, and tourism expenditures. Attendees will utilize about 15,000 hotel room-nights.
Michael E. Walton, chairman of the American Legion National Convention Commission, says it is the third time in 20 years that Convention will be held in Phoenix.
“We are delighted to come back to Phoenix,” Walton said. “Many Legionnaires have fond memories of our previous conventions held there in 1991 and 2008.”
Walton noted Arizona is home to seven active military bases and about one-half million veterans. “The state is unquestionably patriotic,” Walton said, adding that organizers believe the event can be conducted safely despite COVID-19 concerns.
For the last several weeks, top American Legion officials have promoted a video about public health “ground rules” which will be in place at Convention. Those rules -which include face masks and social distancing- will be mandatory because the event is being held at a city-owned building. There is also the possibility of temperature checks to enter the building or meeting rooms.
“I know everyone in the American Legion family is familiar with the precautions we have taken during the pandemic, but different communities have different levels and stages,” according to James W. “Bill” Oxford, national commander of the American Legion. “Ahead of Convention, regardless of your state or community’s guidance and rules, we need to follow the rules of Phoenix, Arizona and remember the ground rules we’ve shared with you.”
The video also highlights Clint Bolt, national commander for the 367,000-member Sons of the American Legion, discussing greeting options at Convention.
“But instead of hugs, kisses, and handshakes, we need to choose greetings that don’t spread germs,” Bolt said. Some of the acceptable methods of greetings are elbow bumps, salutes, waves, and “nods – not to include nodding off,” he added.
“I want to thank our American Legion family for following guidance from the local, state, and federal healthcare authorities during the pandemic,” Bolt said. “We need to continue doing that in Phoenix.”
Nicole Clapp, president of the American Legion Auxiliary, warns in the video that protocols could change in advance of, or even, during Convention.
“We need to be flexible as conditions may change in Phoenix, hopefully for the better,” Clapp warns. “We need to follow and abide by all official guidance, precautions, and rules from our host city.”
The American Legion has a current membership of nearly 2 million wartime veterans. Membership -and admission to Convention- is open to veterans of all six armed forces branches who served in uniform anytime since Dec. 7, 1941 or who are currently serving.
Among the activities planned at this year’s Convention is a Salute to Servicewomen, presentation of the Legion’s Distinguished Service Medal, recognition of the 2021 National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year and National Firefighter of the Year awards, and presentation of the Auxiliary’s prestigious Public Spirit Award.
Special guests include racing champions Jimmie Johnson and Tony Kanaan, as well as country singer Craig Morgan, who is an Army Veteran.
