Horne says he wants to be Arizona schools chief again
Former state schools chief Tom Horne is jumping into the race for his old job, reviving themes of “ethnic chauvinism” and academic rigor that were hallmarks of his previous terms.
“I think a lot of the good work that I did has been undone,” Horne, a Republican, told The Arizona Republic in an interview prior to his public announcement. “We need to get back to an academic focus.”
He blamed critical race theory, which he said Tucson schools promoted with their ethnic studies curriculum, for eroding standards.
As superintendent, and later as state attorney general, Horne helped establish and then defend a law that eliminated the program at the Tucson Unified School District, which he called “ethnic chauvinism.” The law was later ruled unconstitutional.
Horne said it’s time to renew the effort to ban studies that tell students their racial or ethnic identity defines them, rather than their merit. He denied he’s pushing a racist button to stir up passions for an election campaign.
“I am a radical anti-racist,” Horne said.
He “totally” supports state Rep. Michelle Udall’s bill that critics say aims to undercut critical race theory. If the bill were to pass and he was to win, Horne said he would enforce it. Udall, a Republican, is rumored to be eyeing the superintendent seat for herself.
Horne said enforcement of education programs he championed has been lax since he left the superintendent’s office in 2011, after serving two terms.
He singled out two policies that he would ensure happen: Making passage of the statewide achievement test a requirement for high-school graduation and opposing efforts to expand bilingual education.
He opposes Senate Concurrent Resolution 1020, which would refer to the voters a repeal of the state’s English immersion program and would permit bilingual education.
Horne said bilingual programs hamper students’ ability to learn English.
“It’s a terrible injustice to students to not make them proficient in English,” he said.
Although eager to talk about hotbutton racial issues, Horne declined to comment on Proposition 208, a tax on higher-income earners to support education. The state Supreme Court is currently considering arguments that the voter-approved measure is unconstitutional.
He also demurred when asked about a measure going before voters next year that would allow children who were brought to the country illegally to pay in-state tuition at Arizona universities. Horne said that is a higher-education matter, even though he earlier touted work he did while school superintendent as a member of the state Board of Regents, which governs universities.
After leaving the school superintendent post, Horne was elected state attorney general in 2010. Allegations that he illegally coordinated with a political committee to attack his Democratic rival led to an investigation, which concluded there was not enough evidence to press charges.
His 2014 reelection bid was dogged by allegations of campaign finance abuses, including that he used his public office staff to help run his campaign. In 2019, a county attorney investigating the case concluded there was not enough evidence to convict him. However, Horne paid a $10,000 fine to the state’s Citizens Clean Elections Commission to settle complaints of violating finance laws.
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Horne got into elective office in the 1980s, when he joined the Paradise Valley Unified School District board, where he served for 24 years. He also served four years in the state House of Representatives.
Horne has been working as a private litigator since leaving public office in 2015.
He is the second Republican to announce running for the position and said he will run with private financing. Michael Trevillion, an administrator with the Fowler Elementary School District in the southwest Valley, is already in the race.
Superintendent Kathy Hoffman, a Democrat, announced last month that she is seeking a second term.
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