TUSD Resolution Opposes Anti-Education, Anti-Prosperity Actions by City of Tucson and Pima County

TUCSON, Arizona — Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) Governing Board President Michael Hicks is asking the City and County to consult the rest of the community before passing anti-prosperity resolutions such as they did last week. Both City of Tucson and Pima County Board of Supervisors voted in favor June 6 of a resolution denouncing any physical barrier along the Mexican border. The City then went a step farther to resolve the city would stop working with companies.

The City of Tucson’s Resolution No 22963 states: “The Mayor and Council hereby express its intent to identify all companies involved with the design and building or financing of the border wall and its intent to divest as soon as practicable from all those companies.”

Hicks believes the City went too far with its resolution when deciding to penalize businesses that support a wall. “They (the City and County) must not have thoroughly thought out the repercussions such a resolution will have on our whole community,” Hicks said in a radio interview on the James T Harris Show Monday. “To work against businesses because they disagree with this partisan political agenda is an attack on our whole community and will prevent the economic growth we need for our schools to prosper.”

Job killing actions such as the City and County’s anti-wall resolution and the potential lawsuits it brings are upsetting to Hicks and many others within the business community. Pima County did not go as far as the City after it was advised against it by the County Attorney’s Office.

Hicks has prepared a resolution as a response from the TUSD Board to what he calls the “Anti-Education, Anti-Prosperity actions taken by Tucson Mayor and Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors.” In it he asks the City and County to ‘cease and desist their attacks on businesses and commit to the welfare of our schools’ instead.

The full resolution that will be on the TUSD Board agenda Tuesday follows:

A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO ANTI-EDUCATION, ANTI-PROSPERITY ACTIONS BY THE TUCSON MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL, AND THE PIMA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

WHEREAS, education is a top priority for the residents of Tucson, and Pima County, Arizona, and TUSD schools provide educational services to the vast majority of K-12 students in the City of Tucson boundaries which is located within Pima County.

WHEREAS, Arizona schools rely, in part, on the financial health of the political subdivisions in which they are located.

WHEREAS, economic stressors can affect a student’s classroom performance and future academic success.

WHEREAS, many of the successful students in Pima County are leaving the area in search of employment opportunities.

WHEREAS, potential employers are choosing neighboring communities in which to open or expand operations.

WHEREAS, both the City of Tucson and Pima County have actively prevented economic growth through various means including lawsuits, regulations, and resolutions.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board that a demand be issued to the Tucson Mayor and Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors that they commit to the welfare of our schools.

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board that a demand be issued to the Tucson Mayor and Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors that they denounce all attacks by political subdivisions on local businesses based solely on forwarding a partisan political agenda.

AND THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board that a demand be issued to the Tucson Mayor and Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors that they work with the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board in identifying best practices to ensure that the District’s students, parents, and teachers thrive in a prosperous metropolitan area in which they can secure high paying jobs and continue to contribute to our community’s spiritual and economic health.

Whereas it is necessary for the preservation of the peace health and safety of the Tucson Unified School District that this resolution become immediately effective and emergencies hereby declared to exist and this resolution shall be effective immediately upon his passage and adoption.

The TUSD Regular Meeting will be Tuesday June 13th at approximately 5:30 PM, following the scheduled Executive Session in the Multipurpose Room, at Duffy Community Center, 5145 East Fifth Street, Tucson. To contact TUSD board members by email go here.