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Some interesting things have happened since we released our legislative voting tally last week. Most of it has been very positive–we’ve received lots of great feedback and everyone who has contacted us directly has been interested in helping us to distribute more information to their local community groups.
It hasn’t been all sunshine and roses, however. As someone who is relatively new to the ‘process’ of politics, I think the quick misinformation campaign that was launched against our group is interesting and worth sharing. It is worth talking about publicly not just because we feel it is important to put the facts on record, but also because the ‘spin’ we’re seeing in this small example brings us right back to the very reason that AEN was formed in the first place.
Spin zinger one: Arizona Education Network members are “union shills”
…..Fact: Well, for starters, none of our AEN board members, writers, researchers or speakers are (or have ever been) union members. We are not speaking for or representing any group other than our own…and we sure the heck aren’t getting paid or compensated in any way.
…..So why is this label being flung around? We think it is probably because nothing politicizes education in people’s mind like the word ‘union’, and that name-calling is sometimes an effective tool to detract from the real issues. And, yes, it could also have something to do with our rather uncreative choice for a group name (AEN is close to AEA, the teacher’s professional union in Arizona).
Spin Shot Number Two: AEN has ‘close ties’ to other education groups.
…..Fact: We are a relatively new group and are definitely working to form ‘close ties’ between parents, students and any of the existing groups that impact our schools. We have spoken to school superintendents, elected officials, teachers (union and non-union), private school leaders, business officials, faith-based organizations, and a number of individuals who are concerned about education but are not otherwise affiliated with an organized group.
…..Education reform and improvement will not occur in a vacuum. Our public schools are intrinsically linked with our individual communities, and it will truly take a collective effort to initiate state-wide improvements. We certainly do not believe that we have the answers to all of the issues facing our schools, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn and collaborate with others.
Spin zinger three: We are a ‘front’ for a political party.
…..Fact: No, we aren’t. Our AEN members come from a wide variety of political backgrounds and our core team consists of several Republicans, a couple of Independents and a few Democrats. One of our co-founders worked for a Republican Governor, another was not even paying much attention to politics at all until just last year. We run the political gamut and probably could never come to a consensus about some of the singular ‘hot button’ issues….but we all are 100% unified in the belief that we need fact-based solutions to improve our public schools.
So why the accusation about the political party connections?
…..On the very same afternoon that we printed our voting record tally, a few politicians went into deflect mode and insinuated that our spokeswoman, Ann-Eve Pedersen, was some sort of party operative working on a partisan attack.
…..Their ‘evidence’? Ann-Eve’s deceased father was active with his local Democratic party 20 years ago. Her brother-in-law is also an active party member. Though she herself is not active in party politics, she has donated to Democratic candidates in the past.
…..What they left out – Her father’s widow is a lifelong Republican and a number of her other relatives are active in conservative causes, including a cousin who worked for James Dobson’s Focus on the Family. That’s just a start. We haven’t finished dissecting her family tree just yet in an attempt to discredit her own personal actions and beliefs, but I’m sure there is more ‘dirt’ here…rumors abound that her dog might have Marxist leanings.
…..What was also missed? Ann-Eve has been a dedicated, unpaid parent volunteer in our local schools for years. She is also just one member of our group, albeit the one brave enough to stick her neck out as a public speaker and to endure prodding into her family’s personal life. Our group is not defined by any one person’s political views, and we certainly do not represent, advocate for or wave the flag for any political party.
Which leads me back to the reason we formed AEN in the first place…
…..Ideology, spin and inflammatory rhetoric are no substitute for factual information.
…..The majority of Republican, Democrat and Independent-leaning families in our state send their children to public schools–support for education is not a partisan issue. As a group, we will continue to insist that our elected officials use factual information and adhere to their constitutional duties to our children, communities and our schools.
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Tags: 104.1FM, AEA, AEN, Ann Pedersen, Ann-Eve Pedersen, AnnEve Pedersen, Arizona Democrats, arizona education, Arizona Education Network, Arizona government, Arizona Independents, Arizona Legislature, Arizona parent groups, Arizona Republicans, Capitol Times, Frank Antenori, John Huppenthal, Jon Justice, Lisa Hawkins, nonpartisan education arizona, nonpartisan parent group, political attacks Arizona, political dishonesty, Sonoran Alliance, The truth, truth in media, truth in media Arizona
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Concerning the voting records of legislators, I think the problem, whether you care to hear it or not, is based on your “education” focus to the exclusion of a candidate’s overall voting record. I understand that your focus is education, but it does matter to some that liberal candidates, with a strong education voting record, also overwhelmingly support abortion and same-sex marriage. In looking at the “voting records” that you are have been quick to publicize, you are failing to mention that most all of those who voted for the educational funding that you listed, also voted to limit religious freedom in schools, voted in favor of abortion, and voted in favor of same sex marriage. I value education, but I value moral principles more. This is not spin. So if you wonder why you are getting hammered for showing the voting records of education HBs, it’s because you are choosing a single topic with which to view a candidate and that is not just to those who are fighting for our communities in other ways.
@Toll For Thee
I believe we all have moral principles. Often we agree, sometimes we don’t. But that’s exactly why it’s important to limit our focus to how our legislators have or have not supported education funding and other educational issues.
You chose three issues that are important to you. I also believe they are important. But so are funding kids’ care, ACCESS (health care), being responsible and finding revenue sources without requiring voter approval (not that our approval is unimportant, but the election is expensive, takes additional time to begin collecting funds if it passes, etc.) Everyone has their own “critical isssues” list.
But education is OUR issue.
It’s appropriate to limit our list to how our legislators have voted on this issue. Ninety plus percent cent of Arizona students attend public schools. (I believe that’s traditional public schools, but may include charter students as well.) Children don’t get a second chance (retentions not included) to be second or seventh graders. Every year we starve our schools means our students are less prepared for their next year, further education, jobs, etc. This is especially frustrating since some legislators believe it’s OK to cut public education while increasing public funding for private schools.
Let’s focus on where we do agree. WE must do whatever it takes to give our children the BEST education. Making cuts to our already dismal (what difference does it really make if we’re 46th, 49th or 50th….) support is short-sighted and bad for the students affected, but also for all Arizonans, since this neglect (or active attacks) impact all of our lives.
Thank you,Ann-Eve and our AEN leaders. We can join you in being a positive force for change. Let’s focus on our most important resource: our children and their education.
Michael Gordy
Toll For Thee:
Why would this education group include bills on anything but education? It doesn’t make sense. They could put health care. But that’s not what they are about. They could put gun rights. But that’s not what they are about. They aren’t claiming to advocate for everything under the sun. The site claims to advocate for public education only.
Besides, they said they are getting hammered PERSONALLY. How anyone can take a professional record and distort it to personal attacks is reprehensible. Talk about morals…
Meredith: take a deep breath. The above article speaks to the fact that AEN, and those non-partisan leaders involved, have been getting hammered over their posting of legislator’s voting records on education. My point is simply that, I believe, one of the reasons for this is because by focusing only on education it does paint the picture that this is a Democrat-biased group because political platforms tell us that Dems support public education. If I were a conservative legislator or prone to support them, I would take some offense that a sliver of me was being represented, and not the whole me. Lastly, I am not distorting any professional records or personally attacking anyone. I am offering a perspective on why some have been upset about the posting of voting records. Make sense? Said another way, I do support public education and will likely vote for the tax, but I do not support those legislators whom AEN highlights as champions. Nonetheless, I thank AEN for posting my comments and for the public discourse.
I heard one Senator practically throwing a conniption on the radio the other day about this exact same thing. He was practically spitting out a laundry list of accusations about one of the AEN volunteers. Can’t remember his exact words, but I do remember that he said:
a) “Screw you!” a few times
b) Absolutely nothing about his own voting record.
Sad thing is, I voted for this guy. Won’t make the same mistake again.
Toll For Thee,
I wasn’t stating that you took it to the personal front. I’m sorry if I wrote too quickly to make my point clear. I’m talking about some of the politicians out there who ARE using public discourse to call this group things like “union shills.” I called and spoke to a couple of these people in this group about how I can help in my kids school. In the phone conversations, I asked what their political affiliations were. One of them in my area (Flowing Wells) was a registered republican. I talked to another AEN person about some of the research, and she was an independent who was a republican in other states. (And even worked for the republican governor of New Jersey Tom Kean.)
To call someone a shill is libelous. And I have heard some radio talk show hosts blogging libelous comments, and I have read some conservative blogs that are distorting the truth. Has anyone of these people even read their voter record post? It’s about as data rich, non-partisan and bland as could be. In fact, I looked all over this website and couldn’t find one mention of a legislator’s party.
I saw fiscally conservative legislators like Carolyn Allen vote for education. It’s not a party issue. In fact, Arizona is a republican state, and about 90% of the children attend pubic education. I can assure you that every day people don’t feel like public education is a liberal bias. Perhaps some extreme people do, but most parents do not. If it’s made into a partisan issue, most parents will be upset and disenfranchised from their party. Most parents like their schools and teachers. I suggest these hate-mongers tone it down before they alienate their base.
Doesn’t this story just tell it out.
Where is integrity these days? How is it that ‘family values’ legislators can be leading the charge against our schools and can issue nasty messages against parent volunteers on talk radio? (I’ll back Chris’s comments up here, I heard my Senator repeating some of the lies you addressed above)
Maybe the sun is baking some brains here. It is time we start calling for Accountability and we start paying attention at the polls. I don’t understand every budget bill, but to vote against education funding 100% of the time? It is insane to keep chopping into our future like that.