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Zubia: Manufactured ‘chaos’ and politicization at SUSD costs us all money

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Raoul Zubia
By Raoul Zubia | Point of View

A recent study by American University explores the costs that school districts face due to the ever-increasing manufactured culture wars and politicization of our neighborhood schools.

Governing boards oversee the superintendent, the budget and guide district priorities. They also set the tone as the public face of the district. Their words, behaviors, and interactions with the district and community influence how many view our schools.

Current SUSD board members Amy Carney and Carine Werner misuse their positions to sow distrust, falsely claiming the district withholds information that records consistently prove they receive.

Unfortunately, their supporters parrot their lies, further spreading the negativity.

When people threaten and harass school staff, the district must hire additional security. To combat misinformation and smear campaigns, the district must hire additional communications staff. Due to the barrage of information requests and litigation, legal and administrative costs skyrocket, and the cost of training new teachers increases as they become weary of the constant baseless attacks.

SUSD spent a staggering $1.6 million last year dealing with such unnecessary conflicts, and the number is climbing each year. This is $1.6 million that should have been spent on teachers’ salaries but instead was spent dealing with disruptors.

Carney and Werner have proven to be disruptors during their time on the board. SUSD cannot afford to give them the board majority. It makes zero sense, both morally and fiscally, to elect more costly disruptors to our board.

I urge our community to elect Mike Sharkey, Donna Lewis and Matt Pittinsky. Their experience and desire to support our schools starkly contrast with the other slate’s desire to disrupt. Our schools deserve grown-ups invested in bringing positive change- not chaos. Our governing board majority should be comprised of those who want the best for our schools- not a stage for their political agendas.

Editor’s Note: Raoul Zubia is a lifelong Scottsdale resident, retired banker, and dedicated community activist. He has served on various boards and commissions, and co-chaired the Protect and Preserve Scottsdale Task Force. He was inducted into the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame in 2024.

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