Tom Horne, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction
Rich Ulery
Tom Horne, Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, was the featured speaker at the Aug. 16 meeting of the Quail Creek Republican Club (QCRC). The superintendent oversees the State of Arizona’s public school system and directs the Department of Education. Mr. Horne served 24 years in the state’s third largest school district board and 10 years as president. He served in the legislature and as chairman of the Academic Accountability Committee. Tom previously was elected by the people of Arizona as Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2003 through 2011. He also previously served as Arizona’s Attorney General. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard and with honors from Harvard Law School.
Tom’s mission as leader of the state’s public schools is to improve academic performance of Arizona students and empower parents. He is a strong advocate of Arizona’s school choice program. Supt. Horne stresses the importance of focusing on academics in the classroom and removing the distractions of critical race theory and social emotional learning. He also is committed to keeping biological males out of girls’ sports, locker rooms, and bathrooms. He wants to expand technical education in Arizona, raise teacher salaries, and provide administrative support for discipline in the classroom.
Also in attendance at the meeting were four leaders from the Continental Elementary School District: Supt. Roxanna Rico, Principal Deanna Cuevas, Director of Student Services Steve Lathan, and IT Director Joe Ferguson. Ms. Rico informed the attendees of Continental’s plan to place a renewal of the tax override on the November ballot.
QCRC President Pat Colburn introduced Pima County Treasurer Chris Ackerley. Chris shared the good news that the state legislature has fixed the tax mistake that resulted in a large tax increase paid by school district taxpayers. All Continental School taxpayers will benefit from a sizable reduction in their property tax bills this coming year. John Backer, candidate for the Pima County Board of Supervisors, and Bill Beard, representative for U.S. Senate candidate Kari Lake, also addressed the enthusiastic crowd.
President Colburn also announced the QCRC Fall Barbeque, which will be held on Friday, Oct. 18, beginning at 5 p.m. at Longhorn Bar & Grill in Amado. Save the date! You won’t want to miss this popular event. We expect several candidates running in the Nov. 5 general election to be there!