On a Mission to Serve Arizona Families
When my daughter began school I volunteered in the classroom and served on the Parent, Teacher, Student Association (PTSA). During those early years, I had three “epiphany moments” where my eyes were opened to such things as the absurdity of “Outcome Based Education,” and the importance of explicit phonics reading instruction. That’s when I began studying the American school system and its history in earnest.
I served on the governing board of one of Arizona’s largest school systems, Peoria Unified School District, from 2005 to 2012. I was elected board president in 2008 and 2009. In 2010 the AZ State Board of Ed (SBE) adopted the federally backed Common Core State Standards (CCSS). When my term ended on the PUSD board, I began speaking out against those standards across Arizona. This ultimately led to my run for AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction - I wanted to replace CCSS.
I was sworn into the Superintendent position on January 5, 2015.
“As the leader of the Arizona Department of Education, I was devoted to improving education in Arizona so that all Arizona’s children have the opportunity to achieve their goals in life and contribute as successful American citizens. I believe the only way to accomplish this goal is to return education to its original purpose - the acquisition of knowledge through a classical education.”
-Diane Douglas, AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction, 2015-2019
In March 2015, while I was in Washington D.C. securing a release from the CCSS copyright, our then-governor went before the SBE mandating the standards not be removed or replaced but “revised.” On October 26, 2015, the SBE voted to reverse the adoption of Common Core (a.k.a. AZ College and Career Ready Standards). During a meeting in December 2016, the SBE adopted revised standards.
I suppose while still technically Common Core, 48% of the English Language Arts standards were revised. However, the controversial CCSS Literacy Standards were eliminated for grades 6-12 and foundational writing standards were added for grades K-5. I’m proud to say that Arizona was the first state to reinstate cursive writing and reading instruction, and explicit phonics instruction was strengthened. Obscene literature and arbitrary “informational text” reading—requirements under CCSS Literacy Standards—were removed.
40% of the math standards were also revised. This includes requiring math fluency (e.g. memorization of the addition, subtraction, multiplication, division tables). Standards were added so students learn how to tell time and count money. On my watch:
English language and math standards were revised for every K-12 student in Arizona
I thought Common Core was bad until I saw what’s being brought into government schools these days.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
Critical Race Theory (CRT)
Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI)
Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE)
We need all this to undermine the acquisition of knowledge!? This radical rebranding of education is now embedded into every core academic subject. I see it as an extension of the government’s ongoing plan to turn children into emoters rather than critical thinkers who possess knowledge, wisdom, and discernment.
For nearly 25 years, I worked to improve schools because I believed that there were (still are) too many children in the system to give up. I thought God (yes, God!) made me the AZ Superintendent of Public Instruction. I won that seat against odds that could not have been beaten without His help and plan to fix schools.
What I came to realize during the four years I served as state superintendent is that government-controlled schooling cannot be “fixed” because it is not broken. The system is doing exactly what John Dewey created it to do - transform Americans into uneducated, functional illiterates. These kinds of citizens are easy to control. It was designed to turn children against their families, our country and our God.
I believe the core teachings of SEL, CRT, DEI, and CSE are designed to turn children against their families, our country, and God. And as we see upcoming generations losing their lives to mental illness, suicide, and violence, what are parents doing about it? I asked a friend of mine this question and he likened leaving your child in government schools to standing outside a burning building (in this case, a school building) and doing nothing to save them. SEL, CRT, DEI, and CSE are fuel for the fire.
A little more than a year after God gave me His “honorable discharge” from the state superintendent position, I was privileged to join the advisory board of Public School Exit. The mission of this ministry “is to facilitate an exodus of American children and families from government-controlled education by educating the public and helping families.”
On our website PublicSchoolExit.com we have resources for parents. There are so many choices that we’re not hearing about from mainstream education sources. Public School Exit consults with churches that want to get back into the academic success of our children. This is how American education was founded.
“Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” —Proverbs 22:6
No parent should want their child’s values—those they are raised and educated with and from which they won’t depart—to come from the government. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Do your research. Consider all the options available to you and your family.
Don’t hesitate to pull your child out of the burning building that is government schooling.
View Diane's profile here.