Is that a scalpel or a butcher’s knife in Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas’ hand?

This is something to watch, warily. From today’s Capitol Times Yellow Sheet (actually this is the teaser, since I don’t have access to the Yellow Sheet itself):

Douglas told our reporter she has chosen the group that is going to comb through Title 15 in an effort to rid schools of unnecessary mandates and administrative burdens, and it won’t include any lobbyists or “alphabet soups,” a reference to the many education groups that are generally known by their initials.

This isn’t new news. María Inés Taracena reported in The Range in April about a News Release Douglas put out saying she was planning to form the committee, which is supposed to come up with its findings in December, to be presented to the legislature when it begins its 2016 session.

I took a look at Title 15 in the Arizona Revised Statutes. The titles of the sections alone take 16 computer screens to get through. That’s just the titles. I scanned through the screens—18 chapters, divided into Articles, further broken down into specific items. The mind reels.

Looking over Title 15 is probably a good idea. Putting the task in the hands of anti-regulation conservatives, however, is dangerous. One person’s necessary regulation is another person’s onerous attack on freedom.

To this point in her tenure, Douglas has taken a measured approach to her job. Compared to my worst fears and expectations, she’s been a pleasant surprise. If she and the committee adopt a “Do no harm” approach to evaluating the rules and regulations, things might turn out OK, or at least not too bad. But I can already see Republican anti-“government schools” legislators sharpening their axes, looking for “burdensome regulations” to chop to pieces and turn into kindling. This is worth watching, and watching carefully. It could have a significant impact on the already problematic future of Arizona education.

I don’t believe Douglas has published a list of committee members. When we know who’s sitting on the committee, we’ll have a better idea of her intentions.

This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2015.

6 replies on “Coming Soon: Arizona Title 15 Education Regulation “Reform””

  1. Anything that Douglas wants to get rid of in Title 15 will take an act of the legislature. It’s good that she is undertaking the enterprise, but she will have to lobby for it with those legislators who are SUCH champions of education.

    Start with the anti-ethnic studies law, section 15-111 and 15-112. We don’t need a law borne out of Horne and Huppenthal’s dog whistle appeal for votes to their good ole boy base who think Mexicans are a drain on our economy and the source of all problems in Arizona.

    Another candidate for the garbage can is 15-716(C)(3) which prohibits any curriculum on AIDS prevention from suggesting that “some methods of sex are safe methods of homosexual sex.” I kid you not. The mental midgets in the legislature think it is fine to suggest that some methods of sex between heterosexuals are safe, but they must pass a law to make it illegal to suggest that some methods of sex between homosexuals are safe. Makes it pretty confusing when you’re trying to figure out what kind of sex is safe in a three-way. Thank you Cathi Herrod.

    Our legislators are the dumbest people in the world.

  2. I too have been cautiously surprised so far. However, she did vote to allow sex offenders to keep their teaching certificates(thank God for the others on the board who voted no) and there are groups after her with this as their banner. I wonder if that is her motive? When I heard this and checked it out, I don’t trust any move she makes until I see it. THis is serious. http://www.abc15.com/news/state/diane-doug…

  4. David, I agree with you and am cautiously optimistic about Diane’s tenure. Her “listening tour” was unusual and while the jury is out and we will not learn the outcomes, at least she took the time to go around the State and listen to what the people wanted from the State DOE. If we can be successful in reducing regulations and rules, it would be a cost saving and beneficial change. If she can get the charter schools to be more transparent so we know where taxpayer money goes, that would be welcomed. Guess we will wait and see.

  6. David, could you provide a list and credentials of these “anti~regulation conservatives” who populate this board? I’d hate to think you’re continuing down this narrow minded, self rightious path that causes you to repeatedly stumble, fumble and generally take away from the good someone is genuinely trying to do. And did Ms. Douglas give a reason why she chose not to have such a learned and highly self regarded educator as yourself on this board?

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