
James Anderson/Cronkite News
Douglas in 2015
Diane Douglas, the state Superintendent of Public Instruction, announced Friday that she was endorsing Donald Trump for president. Unfortunately for Douglas, the email was sent from an Arizona Department of Education email address — a pretty clear violation of state laws barring using public resources to influence elections.... Read more»
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2 comments on this story
Shall we remind the employees of the Department of Education that any work emails regarding religious pronouncements and political endorsements from top level supervisors and elected officials may be ignored and deleted immediately without threat of retribution or penalty?
Naaaah. That would take all of the sport out of it.
I find it extremely difficult to believe that the State Superintendent of Public Instruction was unaware of ARS 16-192 Sec. A. “Notwithstanding any other law, this state and special taxing districts and any public agency, department, board, commission, committee, council or authority shall not spend or use public resources to influence an election, including the use or expenditure of monies, accounts, credit, materials, equipment, buildings, facilities, vehicles, postage, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, web pages and personnel and any other thing of value of the public entity.” It is common knowledge from School Board members to employees, and as a former School Board member, I know it is in District Policy and AZ. School Board Policy. The fact that the email went out at 4:30 pm on Friday, just before the Labor Day holiday weekend, makes me even more suspicious that maybe she hoped it wouldn’t be noticed. Now her Chief of Staff will be hung out to dry. Oh, by the way, the use of personnel is also prohibited by the same Statute, Ms. Douglas. Shame on you.