by Staff Reporter | Nov 26, 2025 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
The nation’s biggest union overseeing educators is prioritizing trainings to advance LGBTQ+ justice and defeat white supremacy as student outcomes continue to decline.
The National Education Association (NEA) plans to train educators on these topics through the 2025-26 Focus Academy schedule. Affiliate staff and member teams attend these academies to develop and implement issue organizing campaigns, per the NEA.
The NEA will kick off the holiday season with a three-day training on “Advancing LGBTQ+ Justice and Transgender Advocacy” the week after Thanksgiving.
The training is exclusive to members and allies of the LGBTQ+ community. It seeks to harmonize the LGBTQ+ ideology and strategize to defeat other ideologies opposed to it:
“With partners from the Center for Racial Justice, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and other experts participants will learn how to: establish common understandings about the identities under the LGBTQ+ community umbrella; develop a shared understanding of the anti LGBTQ+ policy landscape and how to develop counter narratives of inclusion and equity; deepen skills and strategies to confront implicit bias, micro-aggressions and stereotypes in the LGBTQ+ community; [and] develop a toolset of tactics for dismantling systems of privilege and oppression as it relates to LGBTQ+ educators and students.”
Within this academy, educators are trained on defaulting to the pluralization of genders, using pronouns, transitioning genders, and implementing the Gender Unicorn.
Then, to kick off the New Year, the NEA will train educators on “address[ing] white supremacy culture.” The NEA emphasized a need for individuals “highly skilled” in handling “white fragility and interpersonal oppressions.” Leaked materials show a term that seems to have fallen out of the wayside in public commentary: Critical Race Theory (CRT).
“Recently, [Republicans] have paired these attacks with fear-mongering about Critical Race Theory, mobilizing their base with a potent mix of racist and transphobic tropes,” stated the training materials.
This focus academy training will have educators complete a campaign plan that details what racial justice looks like:
“Participants will learn how to help themselves and others: establish a common language for talking explicitly about white supremacy culture in a campaign cycle; deepen skills and strategies to confront implicit bias, microaggressions, and stereotypes; develop a shared understanding of the levels of racism with a focus on a power analysis required to make changes at various levels; [and] develop a toolset for dismantling systems of privilege and oppression.”
Defending Education published leaked materials from these academies. Per these materials, NEA leadership harmonizes and equates the issues facing the advancement of LGBTQ+ ideology and Critical Race Theory.
The materials show that the NEA blamed the lack of public support on transgenderism for minors on the political right having “exploited” general ignorance of LGBTQ+ ideology.
“Over the last ten years, Republicans in state legislatures have increasingly turned to anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation as a powerful complement to their arsenal of racist dog whistles used to whip up fear and consolidate power,” said the materials.
The latest Nation’s Report Card by the National Assessment of Educational Progress yielded additional declines in scores across the board for math, reading, and science.
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by Matthew Holloway | Nov 26, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
The Scottsdale Fire Department is now accepting unwrapped toys and gift cards at all SFD fire stations and headquarters. The collection of gifts for the annual toy drive will continue through Dec. 22nd.
Scottsdale Fire Chief Tom Shannon explained the decision to start the drive before Thanksgiving in a press release, stating, “Our partner agencies must meet the needs of families a little earlier this year, so we are opening our toy drive before Thanksgiving. These donations help make the holiday season a little brighter for many families. It is very much appreciated.”
In prior years, the drive has collected about 15,000 toys, serving over 1,000 families, according to City of Scottsdale posts on social media. The Scottsdale Fire Department more modestly estimates that roughly 10,000 gifts are collected each year, according to a department release.
Participating partner agencies include Vista del Camino, HonorHealth at Shea, Osborn and Thompson Peak, Family Promise, Arizona Helping Hands, the Arizona Burn Foundation, and Harvest Compassion Center.
This year, SFD is seeking donations for children ages 7-12 and 13-18; however, they add, “Gift cards are fantastic alternatives to selecting something specific.”
Members of the public wishing to donate to Scottsdale Fire can find their nearest location here.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Nov 25, 2025 | News
By Staff Reporter |
The Arizona Supreme Court held a hearing on Monday to decide whether the city of Phoenix can hide certain public records.
The city is being sued by the Goldwater Institute, a Phoenix-based public policy and litigation organization, over its hiding of records concerning union negotiations.
In Goldwater v. Phoenix, the Goldwater Institute argued the city of Phoenix has a duty to disclose those records in order to allow the public to have an informed decision, and because they serve as the entity negotiating on behalf of the public.
The organization filed their lawsuit in March of 2023 after the Phoenix Law Enforcement Association (PLEA) declined to provide a draft memoranda of understanding (MOU) for public input at the end of 2022. PLEA had provided its MOU drafts in preceding years.
Per the city’s “Meet and Confer” ordinance, unions must submit MOUs by Dec. 1 in the year before the expiration of an operative agreement so that the public may provide input prior to negotiations between the union and city.
Despite not having a draft MOU available for the public to review, the Phoenix City Council moved forward with a meeting to collect public comment on an unsubmitted draft.
The city then began negotiations in January 2023.
The city of Phoenix refused to give PLEA’s draft MOU to the Goldwater Institute upon request, claiming the records were exempt from public records disclosure because public scrutiny would burden negotiations.
The city claimed they were protected under the state’s public records law exemption allowing the withholding of records should they prove detrimental to a government’s best interest.
“Releasing those types of materials would create a chilling effect on the parties’ willingness to candidly engage with each other and it would hinder the negotiations process,” said the city in their denial message.
The city also expressed concerns that public access to MOUs would politicize union negotiations.
Parker Jackson, Goldwater Institute staff attorney, disagreed that these records were covered by the best interests exemption.
“With few exceptions, public records must be made available to the public,” said Jackson in a press release. “When there’s a need to protect things like personal privacy or public safety, the government must be able to show that specific and significant harm is likely to result from public disclosure. It cannot simply withhold information based on self-interested speculation that some minimal inconvenience ‘might’ occur.”
In January, the Arizona Court of Appeals remanded the case to the Arizona Superior Court so that court could privately review unredacted and redacted versions of the contested MOU documents, and determine whether the documents deserved exemption from public disclosure according to the best interests of the state.
The Arizona Supreme Court is considering two issues in this case:
- Did the Court of Appeals err by not requiring the City, after it invoked the “best interests of the state” exception, to establish a probability that specific, material harm will result from disclosure, as Mitchell v. Superior Court requires?
- Did the Court of Appeals err by not applying the Carlson v. Pima County balancing test de novo to independently determine whether the City’s purported interests in nondisclosure outweigh the presumption in favor of disclosure?
The public may watch the archived video of Goldwater v. Phoenix here.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
by Jonathan Eberle | Nov 25, 2025 | News
By Jonathan Eberle |
A new analysis from the Reason Foundation places Arizona 17th in the nation for unfunded pension liabilities, marking another chapter in the state’s long-running effort to stabilize its public retirement systems. According to the report, Arizona carried $27.3 billion in unfunded pension debt in fiscal year 2024. That figure represents a roughly $10 billion increase over the past decade—a rise that analysts say was expected as part of the state’s transition to reformed retirement plans.
Leonard Gilroy, senior managing director of the Reason Foundation’s Pension Integrity Project, told The Center Square that Arizona anticipated higher unfunded liabilities in the early years after adopting major pension reforms.
Arizona operates four major public pension systems: Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS), Public Safety Personnel Retirement System (PSPRS), Correctional Officer Retirement Plan (CORP), and Elected Officials Retirement Plan (EORP). While PSPRS, CORP, and EORP underwent substantial structural changes, ASRS—the state’s largest pension system—did not. As a result, ASRS now accounts for 70% of the state’s total pension liabilities and is the only major system whose funded status declined from 2014 to 2024.
Gilroy noted that taxpayers are responsible for about two-thirds of the state’s pension debt, with active employees covering the remaining one-third. However, he emphasized that recent reforms have led to a more equitable cost-sharing model between workers and taxpayers. Between 2014 and 2024, Arizona’s overall pension funded ratio improved slightly—from 72% to 74.3%. That means the state has roughly three-quarters of the assets needed to cover its estimated $106.6 billion in future pension obligations.
The improvement, Gilroy said, reflects a decade of “difficult reforms and difficult decisions,” including reducing investment return assumptions, paying down existing debt, and creating new retirement options for incoming public employees. A major turning point came in 2016, when lawmakers approved Senate Bill 1428, giving government employees hired after July 1, 2017, a choice between a traditional defined benefit pension and a defined contribution plan similar to a 401(k). The shift was designed to better match the modern workforce, which is less likely to stay in a single job for an entire career.
Arizona’s pension trajectory is improving, he added, but the state will need to maintain its reforms and continue meeting its investment return targets to keep progress on track. “If you put in the money now,” Gilroy said, “you save that money in the long run because you’re not trying to chase the problems of the past.”
While challenges remain—particularly within ASRS—experts say Arizona has a realistic path to achieving full funding if the state’s current course continues.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Matthew Holloway | Nov 24, 2025 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
Congressman Andy Biggs has called out Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs for “blatant hypocrisy” after she publicly pitched the benefits of the federal Working Families Tax Cut, a policy she previously denounced as a “betrayal.”
In a statement released Thursday, Biggs said Hobbs is “shamelessly” attempting to attach herself to a Republican-driven tax package that she vocally opposed earlier this year.
“After calling the Working Families Tax Cut a ‘betrayal,’ Katie Hobbs now shamelessly wants to take credit for the tax cuts passed by President Trump and Congressional Republicans,” Biggs said. The congressman provided links to her July comments to Fox10 in which the Governor stated:
“This bill is a betrayal of working families, children, and seniors in Arizona who will lose their healthcare, their ability to put food on the table, and good-paying jobs, all to give tax cuts to the people who are already billionaires while ballooning our national debt by $3.4 trillion.”
Biggs argued that despite Hobbs’ prior opposition, Republicans “successfully delivered tax relief to working-class Arizonans and seniors who are being hurt by the rising energy costs of Hobbs’ progressive, green energy agenda.”
On X, Biggs highlighted Hobbs’ recent promotion of her own “Middle Class Tax Cuts Package,” which includes bigger deductions, tax relief for seniors, and exemptions on taxes for tips, overtime, and new car loan interest.
Hobbs, who recently launched her 2026 reelection bid, has highlighted the tax cut in campaign messaging and controversially billed her events as “Arizona First” rallies, as noted by Capitol Media. Biggs asserted that the move reflects political weakness within her own party.
“Even her fellow Democrats are calling her ‘weak’ because they know the truth just like Arizonans do: Katie Hobbs has failed our state, and now she’s trying to cover it up by taking credit for Republican victories,” he said citing an op-ed from AZ Mirror.
The Working Families Tax Cut, a component of the “One Big Beautiful Bill” championed by President Donald Trump, Biggs, and other House Republicans, expanded credits for lower- and middle-income households and included relief provisions for seniors. Hobbs criticized the measure during negotiations, calling it fiscally irresponsible and siding with Democrats who argued it favored Republican priorities.
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Ethan Faverino | Nov 24, 2025 | Economy, News
By Ethan Faverino |
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) released its 40th annual Thanksgiving Dinner Cost Survey, revealing welcoming news for American families. The average cost of a classic Thanksgiving meal for 10 people has fallen to $55.18, or $5.52 per person—a decrease of more than 5% from 2024 and the third straight year of declines.
While the drop provides some relief at the checkout, AFBF cautions that prices remain well above pre-2022 levels, following a record-high average of $64.05.
AFBF Economist Faith Parum, Ph.D., said, “It’s encouraging to see some relief in the price of turkeys, as it is typically the most expensive part of the meal. Farmers are still working to rebuild turkey flocks that were devastated by avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen. The combination will help ensure turkey will remain an affordable option for families celebrating Thanksgiving.”
2025 Classic Thanksgiving Menu Price Changes (for 10 people)
- 16-lb turkey: $21.50 (−16.3%)
- Stuffing (14 oz): $3.71 (−9%)
- Dinner rolls (1 dozen): $3.56 (−14.6%)
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs): $4.00 (+37%)
- Veggie tray (1 lb carrots & celery): $1.36 (+61.3%)
- Fresh cranberries (12 oz): $2.28 (−2.8%)
- Pumpkin pie mix (30 oz): $4.16 (+0.1%)
- Whipping cream (½ pint): $1.87 (+3.2%)
- Frozen peas (1 lb): $2.03 (+17.2%)
- Pie crusts (2): $3.37 (−0.8%)
- Milk (1 gal): $3.73 (+16.3%)
- Misc. ingredients: $3.61 (−4.7%)
Thanksgiving dinner costs vary significantly across different regions. Families in the South enjoy the nation’s lowest average price for a classic meal for 10 at $50.01, followed by the Midwest at $54.38, the Northeast at $60.82, and the West at $61.75.
When adding ham, russet potatoes, and green beans to create an expanded menu, the South remains the most affordable at $71.20, while the West is the priciest at $84.97.
“We are blessed to live in a country capable of producing such an abundant food supply, and for that we should be thankful,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “Despite modest declines this Thanksgiving, food prices remain a real concern for many families — including farm families. We lost 15,000 farms last year due to low crop prices, high input costs, and trade uncertainty. Every farm lost moves us closer to greater consolidation and reliance on foreign food sources. We urge Congress to address these challenges so America’s farm families can continue growing the safe, affordable food we all depend on every day of the year.”
The White House also celebrated the lower cost of Thanksgiving this year, noting President Trump’s promise to lower prices and cut inflation. Retailers are stepping up with their cheapest Thanksgiving meals in years:
- Walmart’s feast for 10 is down 25% from last year, with its lowest turkey price since 2019 at under $4 per person.
- Lidl’s Thanksgiving meal is $10 less, clocking in at $3.60 per person for 10.
- Aldi’s Thanksgiving meal is $7 cheaper and at 2019 lows, $4 per person for 10.
- Target’s meal for four is at its lowest price ever, at $5 per person.
- Schnucks, one of the nation’s largest privately held supermarket chains, is selling turkeys at prices not seen in over 15 years.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
