I’ve consulted with several Maricopa County constituents and learned very few of us understand the role and responsibilities of the Superintendent of Schools. One thing’s for sure, we cannot allow a simpleton to remain in office. For those unaware, Maricopa County Superintendent Steve Watson—who was elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020—is currently under heavy scrutiny for fraud.
The “May 2024 Maricopa County Regional School District Performance Audit” cites multiple findings of budget mismanagement and suspicious financial activities. MCRSD, which includes the Juvenile Detention Education Program and the Maricopa Accommodation Schools, are directly under Watson’s governance. Below are a few highlighted results from the performance audit:
“District administration and plant operations costs for the last two full fiscal years exceed the state average for school districts…Recommendations: Establish an expenditure budget for the Schools that include budget balance carry forward for which cash reserves are on deposit…Obtain training on school district budget and finance.”
“Budgeting practices are ineffective and do not prevent overspending and cash deficits. Lack of understanding and communication regarding the District’s budget have led to excessive expenditures and cash deficits…Recommendations: Ensure the correct budget is uploaded to [the Arizona Department of Education]…Monitor cash levels to prevent interest charges assessed on line of credit usage.”
“The District did not comply with State procurement guidelines when executing purchases in excess of required thresholds…Recommendations: Comply with [Arizona Administrative Codes] and [Uniform System of Financial Records] prior to executing purchases…Ensure curriculum is approved by the District Governing Board.”
In 2022, the Accommodation School District spent $2 million over its budget. Also, on July 17, 2024, ABC 15 Arizona politely reported, “Maricopa County school districts are needing to shell out about $150 million after a judge says a group of property owners were improperly taxed…that money needs to be returned as part of a lawsuit.”
What good is a county superintendent who refuses to comply with state laws and regulations? Not only is Watson fiscally incompetent, he’s also a Republican hack who cannot be trusted to appoint conservative candidates to school boards.
Many constituents have mentioned to me that Watson’s strategy as a follower of Mormon religion is to deliberately select Mormons to serve in office. I will say this appears to be the case with Courtney Davis in Mesa Public Schools (MPS) and Rebecca Proudfit in Peoria Unified School District (PUSD). And, like Watson, they identify as conservatives while governing as liberals.
When the time came for Watson to fill an MPS Governing Board vacancy, he intentionally bypassed candidate Ed Steele—a strong conservative, community leader and runner up during the 2022 midterm elections. Before administering the oath of office to Davis, Watson told constituents:
“This is really hard because when I say good and nice things about somebody who I hold in high esteem, other people think that’s umm — they might feel like I’m putting other people down. And that’s not the case. Here in [MPS], we had 49 people initially apply for this vacancy…and so, Courtney is great. She’s going to do a terrific job. And that’s not to say that the other people were terrible…In choosing Courtney, I had to pick somebody, right? Somebody has to get this position…Just understand this isn’t putting anybody else down.”
Seriously!? What public official talks like this!?
Watson gave a social-emotional speech instead of telling the people exactly who Courtney Davis is. What qualifications put her above the other 48 applicants? Did she attend and speak at any MPS board meetings before the appointment? Are her kids even enrolled in Mesa’s public schools? What are her core values? What leadership experience does she possess? Surely, religious affiliation wasn’t Watson’s only prerequisite for appointing her…right?
Well, it’s been a year and Mesa constituents now know where Davis’ values truly lie. From seconding the reelection of corrupt Marcie Hutchinson for MPS board president, to campaigning alongside Democrats, Davis—who coincidentally registered as “nonpartisan”—is decidedly left. Make no mistake, Ed Steele and Sharon Benson are the trustworthy conservatives running for Mesa Board of Education.
In PUSD, Watson intentionally bypassed several qualified, conservative candidates (namely Jeff Tobey) to appoint Proudfit. Over the past nine months, she has wittingly veered left.
Despite all this and more, some LD leaders in the West Valley have forfeited wisdom and discernment. There are talks of tainting the so-called “golden ticket” by promoting Proudfit as a conservative PUSD candidate. And for no other reason than she’s a nice person and she’s well-liked by affluent Establishment Republican types (a.k.a. RINOs). This is asinine. We only need to fill two seats for a conservative majority. Make no mistake, Jeff Tobey and Janelle Bowles are the only trustworthy conservatives running for Peoria school board.
For the record, I don’t vote for people because they’re nice or popular. I’m highly suspicious of representatives who claim to align with one party but are constantly praised by the opposition. I also refuse to cast a vote for anyone who doesn’t have time to run a campaign. Furthermore, if I were a respected public servant, I would not waste my endorsements on Democrats (a topic for another day). This foolishness is not a strategy. Just because you like someone and they have an “R” behind their name doesn’t mean throw away the Constitution and common sense.
This November, I’m calling on Arizonans to vote policies over personalities; vote for deep-rooted values over shallow virtues. Don’t just check a box because the person’s name is familiar. Do your research, increase your voter IQ, and vet the candidates, regardless of your relationship with them.
Join the conversation with two conservative candidates for Maricopa County Superintendent on Sunday, July 28 @ 3pm.
Tiffany is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education, a grassroots advocate for families, educators, and school board members. For nearly two decades, Tiffany’s creative writing pursuits have surpassed most interests as she continues to contribute to her blog Bigviewsmallwindow.com. She encourages everyday citizens to take an active role in defending and preserving American values for future generations.
Over the last few years, I observed how ignorant and dangerous college students have become. What’s worse is how older generations are playing along and encouraging the demoralization of society. And maybe it’s just me, but I sense this diabolical agenda, hellbent on shackling black folks to a race-based, trauma narrative, that incites outrage among some of the most privileged people in the world.
George Floyd is depicted wearing a crown of thorns at an ASU exhibit.
Yes, I said it. Twenty-first-century, black Americans are privileged, protected, and honored citizens. Those who discern this truth have seized every opportunity to innovate themselves. But those overcome by a victim mentality—the ones who see themselves as hopeless casualties of “systemic oppression”—are wasting away in a mental prison of personal failures and moral decay. The appropriate mascot for the latter could be none other than a black man who chose a life of substance and crime. If this is what it means to identify as a member of the black community, then we are to be pitied above all ethnic groups.
George Floyd was not a saint. He was an eight-time convicted criminal who didn’t think twice about robbing a pregnant woman while holding a gun to her belly. Floyd wasn’t targeted and murdered by Derek Chauvin. Floyd was high on drugs and resisting arrest after attempting to pass counterfeit bills in a corner store. An autopsy—that was strategically withheld from the public in 2020—revealed that he died from acute complications related to substance abuse while under the restraint of a trained police officer. Chauvin’s negligence in regard to seeking medical attention for Floyd’s condition is debatable, but this doesn’t change the facts.
Of course, George Floyd was a human being. He has children, family, and friends. Whether those relationships were loving or dysfunctional, kind or cruel, the world may never truly know. Floyd has been reduced to a token for the Marxist “defund the police” movement. He’s forever enshrined as the cash cow that overflowed the coffers of corrupt Black Lives Matter leaders. And for all the blood money amassed in his name, there’s no record of predominantly black neighborhoods, schools, or businesses receiving a dime. If so, it’s the greatest story yet to be told.
Various displays from the George Floyd exhibit at ASU.
When I consider the venom spewed by loud-mouth activists like Al Sharpton, lowlife politicians like Maxine Waters, and progressive pundits like Joy Reid—all privileged, racist, black people, by the way—I’m appalled at how they use their platforms to shamelessly perpetuate a culture of death among black Americans. Another disgraced public figure who totes the systemic oppression narrative is The View co-host, Sunny Hostin.
During an episode featuring South Carolina Representative Tim Scott, Hostin revealed that she’s convinced all successful black people (herself included) are an exception to the rule. What’s the rule? A life of crime, violence, poverty, discrimination, and dejection. Hmm… Well, the black people I know who wear these labels and wallow in these circumstances typically identify as Democrats. But regardless of political ideology, the black community must face harsh realities:
Black men are not going extinct at the hands of white cops—the 2019 black-on-black homicide rate of 80% to 90% tells me they’re predominantly victims of other black men. When I saw the “Stop Killing Black People” cardboard display at ASU, I immediately thought: “We need to stop killing our own people!”
Systemic racism is not an existential threat to black people—abortion is an existential threat to black people. With 2019 estimations between 35% and 39%, black women have the highest abortion rates in the U.S. In no uncertain terms, I’d say this is the culprit in the case of black genocide.
Single-parent families are the highest among black Americans—one 2022 statistic showed that over 50% of black children were living without a father figure in the home.
Now, I’ve yet to hear sound justification for how white people or white supremacy are to blame for these overwhelming demographics. How is it a white person’s fault if a black man murders another black man, or a black woman dismembers her unborn child? Exactly how is white supremacy the root cause of having unprotected sex with (multiple) people you’re not married to? Am I missing something? Is it because my mind is free that I’m incapable of connecting these dots? I’m a lifetime learner, so feel free to enlighten me.
I wasn’t alone when I visited the George Floyd shrine. I invited a friend, an ASU student, who happens to be a young, Christian, white male (white supremacy incarnate, according to the left). After chatting with him about his family history, I discovered he grew up under dire circumstances that I (a black woman) never experienced. During the tour, the volume and rapidity of our discussions convinced me that we shared the same frustration and sense of urgency about the communist movements overtaking America’s youth. Multiple times my friend expressed regret for wasting so much time and money studying at ASU.
Another display at the George Floyd exhibit at ASU.
For the record, I love my community. Black people are vibrant (a.k.a. loud), talented, beautiful, funny, accomplished, highly intelligent and influential. Unfortunately, black culture, like any other, has a tendency to be toxic and backwards. Of course, I’m not blind to our nation’s sinful past. History is recorded for a reason; Confederate statues should remain in open squares for a reason. Future generations must continue to engage in candid, ethical discussions about such issues as American slavery, racism, and bigotry—all intrinsically traced back to the Democratic Party. Inevitably, some in society will stereotype and profile black people, especially if they’ve only viewed them at their worst in the public sphere.
When I see a black columnist dub Larry Elder the “black face of white supremacy”; when I hear a black, pseudo intellectual say Winsome Sears has a “black mouth moving with white ideas running on the runway of the tongue”; when a black Democrat calls a black Republican an “Uncle Tom” —I’m only more convinced that the greatest threats to the black community come from within, not without. Furthermore, if you’re someone who thinks black lives only matter when criminals encounter white police officers, and don’t live to tell their side of the story, then your mind is pretty far gone. I’ll be praying for you.
I could say more, but I’ll leave my community with these words of encouragement: Your destiny is not tied to what white people will or won’t do for you. Nobody owes you anything. You are not a victim. Your identity is not bound to black culture. It’s unnecessary to put the word “black” in front of “excellence” or “joy.” We are not a monolith. We need to respect the fact that being “black in America” means different things to different people. Regardless of where you came from or what you’ve come through, God has given this generation the liberty to break off cycles of trauma and leave this world better than we found it.
Be set free.
Tiffany is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education, a grassroots advocate for families, educators, and school board members. For nearly two decades, Tiffany’s creative writing pursuits have surpassed most interests as she continues to contribute to her blogBigviewsmallwindow.com. She encourages everyday citizens to take an active role in defending and preserving American values for future generations.
I’ve looked in the face of many disappointed residents who told me they moved to the West Valley so their children could be educated in Peoria Unified School District (PUSD). To say these families are experiencing buyer’s remorse is an understatement. One wouldn’t have to search beyond PUSD’s current administration to grasp why the district is on a path of destruction.
For readers unaware, PUSD basketball coach and volunteer teacher Patrick Battillo—better known by his fanatic alter ego, Mr. ORNG—was recently arrested on allegations of soliciting lewd photos and videos from students with intentions to sell the images. Teacher Holly Holgate further betrayed the victims by tipping off Battillo after they came to her for help. Battillo, who pleaded not guilty to luring a minor for sexual exploitation and sex trafficking, was reportedly employed by PUSD for five years. Holgate, who’s charged with hindering prosecution and failure to report child abuse, has been employed for over 20 years.
Although the PUSD Governing Board voted unanimously to fire Battillo during the April 25, 2024, board meeting, it’s hard to imagine this wasn’t solely in response to public pressure. I say this because the NAACP descended upon PUSD at the April 11 board meeting. Not to mention press organizations have been crawling all over the district since Battillo and Holgate made headlines.
It’s no secret that Battillo replaced former employee William Roberts III, who was also charged with and pleaded not guilty to sex crimes against PUSD students. Unlike Battillo, Roberts was allowed to resign amid the controversy. Then, Roberts was acquitted after claiming he only had sex with a student after their 18th birthday. Battillo’s victims are said to be 17 and under. What are the odds that two men, who occupied the same role, were accused of sexually abusing students?
Board Member Heather Rooks formally apologized to the victims and their families. She also requested (but was not seconded) to have a closed discussion on why the principal of Peoria High School—where Battillo and Holgate worked—was quietly placed on paid administrative leave following the incident. Could it be PUSD is looking for someone to blame instead of owning its repeated failures to protect students from pedophiles on their payroll? Seriously, how many staff members knew something was “off” about Battillo, Holgate, and Roberts but an investigation was never launched? And where is the district sourcing its pool of applicants anyway?
Another red flag was raised when acting superintendent Kevin Molino unveiled 3D sketches of bathroom remodels for Cactus High School and Ironwood High School. Where there were once doors, there are no doors. Where there was once privacy, there is less privacy. Where there was once a clear distinction of boys’ and girls’ spaces, the district has revealed phase one compliance with the Biden administration’s illegal Title IX rewrite and the corrupt Ninth Circuit ruling.
Now you see doors:
Now you don’t:
Did you catch that urinals were removed from the boys’ bathrooms? Unless you’re going to allow girls inside, why would you eliminate that feature? There are also oversized service closets where a single-use bathroom should be, specifically for students who reject binary reality. In order to uphold the Department of Education’s erroneous interpretation of “sex” to mean “gender identity,” I wouldn’t be surprised if PUSD secretly plans to replace urinals with Tampon dispensers.
In PUSD’s current climate of sexual abuse, administrators are smart enough to sidestep any discussion on the dangers of transgender practices that leave female students vulnerable. So, the district’s official position is that the restrooms are being updated for “increased ADA accessibility” and “increased visibility and monitoring.”
During the April 25 board meeting, there was much talk about bullying, vaping, drugs, and fighting that allegedly reinforced the need for less privacy in school bathrooms. When I suggested disciplining problematic students before they enter closed spaces, Board Member Bill Sorenson said he didn’t agree with “targeting” students who are known to have behavior issues. This is typical, passive, “social emotional” language from Sorenson…whenever he cares to comment.
So, rather than enforce proper codes of conduct, the district’s solution is to have adults watch students go to the bathroom from the hallway. If this doesn’t make any sense to you, then you simply don’t know how to think like a leftist.
After attending the Listen, Learn & Lead event for the incoming superintendent, I was further convinced of how expendable PUSD constituents are to the district. During the breakout session, my table had the pleasure of hosting the presence of Chief Personnel Officer Laura Vesely. I held my tongue and conversations were all polite until a resident asked why “Community” was at the top of Molino’s updated organization chart, when it’s obvious the district doesn’t acknowledge concerns from the majority of the community.
Vesely said that “Community” was only at the top because they elect governing board members. Essentially, no other community input is required to run a school district. Consequently, when the same resident asked about Title IX compliance—and I finally spoke up to clarify that “sex” means biology, not gender identity—Vesely quickly shut down the conversation, stating that she, and the public relations representative at the table, weren’t responsible for answering those questions.
Well, I suppose PUSD constituents should just be grateful that rogue, unelected administrators are even letting them in on the discussion. Bless the voters’ hearts.
The last red flag I’ll mention is the district’s prejudice against Christians. Not only was Board Member Rooks censured for reading Scripture during her board comments, Board Member David Sandoval is inclined to outright discriminate against Christian students. Just like the extremists in a neighboring district, PUSD has shown a willingness to violate the First Amendment and, now, the 1984 Equal Access Act, which grants students (of any faith) the right to exercise religious freedoms on school campuses.
Sandoval’s statements were made during a podcast hosted by secularist Jeanne Casteen, who’s engaged in an imaginary fight against “the growing threat of white Christian nationalism in our state and our country.” Casteen is concerned about tax dollars funding religion in public schools. Notably, Christianity was the only objectionable religion throughout the discussion.
By Sandoval’s and Casteen’s logic, all government institutions that teach secular humanistic doctrines—such as evolution, climate change, and social justice—should be defunded. And perhaps Casteen is ignorant of the fact that her godless religion is protected under the First Amendment, and her belief system currently dominates every sphere of public education.
I’m glad to hear students are leaving PUSD. I hope enrollment continues to decrease as families take advantage of every opportunity to exercise their rights. As for the parents who can’t or won’t utilize alternative education, you need to show up for more than sporting events. The board members you elected, and the advocates you see in the boardroom and hear on the microphone every two weeks, are burning out fighting for your children.
Public education will never “get better.” I encourage every conservative, independent, and common-sense parent and teacher to find their voice, speak up, and take action before it’s too late.
Tiffany is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education, a grassroots advocate for families, educators, and school board members. For nearly two decades, Tiffany’s creative writing pursuits have surpassed most interests as she continues to contribute to her blog Bigviewsmallwindow.com. She encourages everyday citizens to take an active role in defending and preserving American values for future generations.
This is a provocation and an outright challenge for parents and guardians to take an inventory of their children’s mental health and level of intelligence after investing in public education. If you’re rearing teenagers who’ve endured government schools since pre-K, can you honestly say your kids are smarter, more respectful, and willing to take responsibility for their choices? Or is there increased mistrust, tension, and constant power struggles?
Some will say rebellion, gender confusion, and anti-traditional sentiments are part of every coming-of-age story. Many believe dysfunction between parents and children is a rite of passage, a sign of natural progression toward adulthood. Perhaps, to an extent, this is true. Clashes of personalities and worldviews are commonplace in most families. However, there are sure ways to test whether outside influences are driving unnecessary wedges between you and your child. If you’ve tried tough love, barring social media, confiscating electronics, assigning extra chores, intervening in unhealthy relationships, yet there’s no improvement — then it’s time to do something audacious.
Here are five reasons to pull your kids out of public schools.
1.No one loves and cares for your children like you do. — This point assumes you’re a dedicated parent doing everything in your purview to accept your children as unique individuals while passing along good morals. You balance “spoiling” them with the necessary disciplines that encourage gradual maturity and independence. You seek their well-being above all else and your standards are rooted in traditional values. Just know that our current public education model is constantly evolving to replace you as the primary influencer and arbiter of truth and morality. Government schools are gravitating toward social-emotional learning which entreats your children to develop inappropriate levels of confidentiality with other “trusted adults.” Furthermore, this system takes advantage of any area of perceived neglect on your part, especially when you fail to address identity issues. Of course, parents typically know when to explore an idea, apply correction, or ignore silliness altogether. Understand that this is the sphere of authority that radical educators, administrators, and board members are increasingly trying to disrupt. The most egregious message they’re sending your children is one that says they can be anything they want to be, including the opposite gender.
2.Student safety is rapidly deteriorating. — I once confronted a school board member about the pattern of predatory behavior among certified and classified staff. In less than two years, this Arizona school district had multiple incidents of adults grooming and/or assaulting students. In two high profile cases, where the workers were convicted of sex crimes, the criminal employees were allowed to quietly resign. The board member — who happened to be friends with one assailant that sexually assaulted a student — defensively assured me, “There’s pedophiles in every school district.” I assume she was either condoning or confirming this as a fact. A 2017 study showed 10% of students will experience sexual misconduct from a district employee by the time they graduate high school. Today, that percentage is likely higher and still represents only a small fraction of unreported cases. We know government entities protect their own when accusations fly. Additionally, a 1997-2022 research study revealed a 2,086.7% increase in school shooting incidents, from 15 incidents during the 2009-2010 academic year to 328 incidents in 2020-2021. Imagine, the radical majority of board members and administrators believe replacing student resource officers with DEI-certified social workers is the solution to this problem.
3.Your kids aren’t learning in public schools. — Although national, state, and district test scores may not provide concrete evidence of learning outcomes (i.e. a student can excel in collaboration with peers but fail to perform in isolated settings), these numbers serve as indicators to warn us of potential risks. Think of those assessment results like a cholesterol test that can indicate chronic heart problems. Regardless of how healthy and energetic the patient feels, a caring and ethical physician will bring this to the patient’s attention and prescribe immediate lifestyle changes to prevent medical crises. Logically speaking, standardized English, reading, and math scores are no different. Depending on which source you consult, Arizona is ranked anywhere between 45 and 49 out of 50 for K-12 education. Regardless of whether these numbers are based on a biased sample of traditionally educated students, it’s still in heart attack range. Loving parents are paying attention and making immediate lifestyle changes to prevent their children from graduating without basic survival skills.
4.Government (co)dependency creates moral hazard. — Since the Department of Education’s inception, more and more Americans believe state-regulated academics are a prerequisite to survival “in the real world.” Add to this the rabid feminist doctrines that shame and drive some women — who might otherwise educate their own children — outside the home to compete in the workforce, thereby producing a dual income situation that necessitates publicly funded childcare. Not to mention, family members and local churches are taking less responsibility to support parents than they did in the past. Since the government made it easy to queue up at the beginning and end of the workday, parents assume teachers, administrators, counselors, and coaches are primarily liable when kids fail. Unfortunately, the pervasiveness of public education has created an illusion of mitigated risks wherein parents have the convenience of temporarily “handing off” their children to government employees with minimal oversight. Then, when something goes wrong, parents quickly assert their rights…often without taking responsibility for directing their children’s education.
5.Public education is a corrupt financial enterprise. — In 2019-2020, the National Center for Education Statistics revealed the United States spent an estimated $870 billion on elementary and secondary schools. In 2023, Arizona reportedly spent a whopping $12.6 billion (not including charter schools). Last year, Mesa Public Schools (MPS) alone carried a classroom budget that was 10.6% higher than the state average. MPS is a morally corrupt and dangerous district that’s being sued for transitioning students’ gender without parental knowledge. Also, the majority of students are not minimally proficient in math or reading. Nowhere in the world of investment would Americans put up with such an alarming deficit. Yet, day after day and year after year, parents keep sending their children into these cesspools.
All this to say, parents, you have options and the time to explore is now.
Don’t wait around for things to get better — they never will. While there are a few decent educators holding on to the good they see in their classrooms, it’s impossible for the government to care about your child or your family. Don’t let your sons and daughters graduate high school with a 3rd-grade reading comprehension. Stop letting the government usurp your authority. Divest the trust you placed in public education and start asking questions. Get comfortable with confrontation. If your child is being bullied, and the district refuses to do something about it, remove them before the situation prematurely ends their young life. What appears to be an extreme and rare situation today can become your personal tragedy tomorrow. Be proactive. Intervene. Drastic times call for drastic measures.
And if you’re free Saturday, April 6 @ 2pm, come learn about your education options here in Arizona. You don’t need to settle for public school. Hope to see you there!
Tiffany is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education, a grassroots advocate for families, educators, and school board members. For nearly two decades, Tiffany’s creative writing pursuits have surpassed most interests as she continues to contribute to her blogBigviewsmallwindow.com. She encourages everyday citizens to take an active role in defending and preserving American values for future generations.
A retired educator once told me, “Parents don’t have rights, they have responsibilities.” Considering this viewpoint alongside the comment below, I can’t find any context in which these statements are appropriate.
In the same vein, former state Governor Terry McAuliffe (D-VA) said, “I don’t think parents should be telling schools what to teach.” Not to mention, the National School Board Association incited FBI Director Merrick Garland to declare war against parents.
In light of all the anti-parental rights sentiments infecting our education system, I declare:
Children are an inheritance, a reward, and a gift from God (Ps. 127:3). Therefore, they belong to their parents/guardians, not government employees. If your beliefs run contrary to this truth, then the following commentary was written with you in mind.
Two incidents lead to my discussion on parental rights in education. The first involves backlash I received after posting this flier in a parent group on social media:
Group members were appalled that I used the page to inform parents of their right to choose how their children are educated. One said, “I wonder what teachers would think?” Another member incoherently stated that teachers were being “used as political pons.” (I think she meant “pawns,” but we’ll blame public education for the error). The elementary shoving match in the comment section revealed that my primary opponent was, in fact, a teacher.
I was pitifully accused of being a “political operative” and called out for not focusing on strengthening relationships in the district. Never mind that I’m one of five people willing to attend board meetings. I’m also willing to find common ground with opposing leaders to improve academic success and student safety.
Our Parental Bill of Rights is one radical majority vote away from destruction. So, if giving parents options to circumvent government schools triggers you, then you’re part of the problem.
The second incident occurred on January 25, 2024, when teacher and Peoria Education Association (PEA) President, Trina Berg, requested public comments be moved to the end of the board meeting. Berg stated:
“My request is that we consider, and you have a discussion, and vote on moving public comments to the end of the board meeting. The reason why is because we have business we have to do. And I would appreciate it if we actually came in and did our business first … People still have the ability to speak on whatever they want, but it’s when business is done.”
Wouldn’t you know that public comments were relocated from position 5.1 to position 9.1 at the February 8 board meeting. Peoria Unified School District (PUSD) Board President Rebecca Proudfit — appointed by the financially compromised Maricopa County Superintendent Steve Watson — led the charge in compliance with Berg’s request.
When confronted about moving the comments, Proudfit claimed some teachers were uncomfortable with the atmosphere at PUSD board meetings. She also said the results of a survey — somehow received by educators but missed by parents — favored changing the meeting format. When pressed further about the timing of her decision, Proudfit said, “[Berg] did email me afterwards to say thank you … But I swear I wouldn’t do anything like that just because someone asked me to do it.”
Bear in mind, this is the same Trina Berg who staged an illegal sick out in defiance of the board’s decision to resume in-person learning after the 2020 winter break. District emails reveal that Berg and her co-conspirator, PEA Treasurer Jessica Batty (also a teacher), planned the union-backed catastrophe. At one point, Berg wrote, “[W]e are trying to show that this decision was especially dumb for retention.”
Berg’s shenanigans — which resulted in the closure of 13 schools — disrupted academic progress and left parents without childcare. So, why wasn’t this activist, posing as a teacher, fired?
The statement, “Teachers are not the primary stakeholders in public education,” is true contractually and financially. This is why teachers’ unions exist. Of course, educators typically have children, own property, and pay taxes in their district. But from a business standpoint, certified staff members do not hold revenue-generating positions — they are paid to provide a community service. For clarification: parents (and constituents) are patrons, students are beneficiaries, teachers are public servants.
Without parents and students, teachers wouldn’t have jobs.
When it comes to directing a child’s education, the law clearly identifies parents as the experts. And whether we consider parents “good” or “bad,” their rights are protected under the United States Constitution. The place of a teacher is to transfer knowledge, not propaganda, and foster an environment that’s conducive to learning, not excessive self-expression.
Communist dictator Vladimir Lenin — the man history deems responsible for the death of 10 million people — is credited with saying, “Give me just one generation of youth, and I’ll transform the whole world.” This is the ideological framework of someone who aims to incite rebellion and break family bonds. I implore leftist educators to reject radical approaches to instruction, abandon hypercritical theories, and, instead, work to form an alliance with parents/guardians.
Finally, I commend sensible and honorable educators who practice transparency, partner with families, and build strong support networks for their students. You are the teachers we can entrust with our youth. Now more than ever, your skills and compassion are needed to shape young minds for the betterment of society and secure the future of our nation.
Tiffany Benson is the Founder of Restore Parental Rights in Education, a grassroots advocate for families, educators, and school board members. For nearly two decades, Tiffany’s creative writing pursuits have surpassed most interests as she continues to contribute to her blog Bigviewsmallwindow.com. She encourages everyday citizens to take an active role in defending and preserving American values for future generations.
