Exactly how Arizona students should learn to speak English sparked the only excitement when five candidates met Monday night to debate their qualifications to run the state’s schools.

And those sparks flew during the three-way debate among the Republicans on the Sept. 10 primary ballot.

The well-funded, $300,000 television and radio campaign of Tom Horne has hammered incumbent Jaime Molera, claiming Molera is not enforcing the state’s English-immersion law.

Before the debate, Horne denied he was inserting race into the campaign for state superintendent of public instruction. He said he is supported by many Hispanic parents who want their children to learn English quickly.

Horne, an attorney and former state lawmaker, accused Molera of allowing some school districts to encourage large groups of parents to opt out of English-immersion classes and remain in bilingual education courses.

“If I were superintendent, that would stop,” Horne said. “What’s happening is not objective. They’re giving them the forms and telling them to sign it.”

Molera, clearly on the defensive, struck back in opening remarks, accusing Horne of “deceitful and negative attacks.”

“I have to defend myself,” Molera said before the debate at Channel 8 (KAET) studios at Arizona State University. “He claims I’m not enforcing the law. That doesn’t go over well with people. If I can’t clarify myself, then, yes, he’ll beat me.”

Tucson businessman and former lawmaker Keith Bee said teachers and parents need to start with a clearer definition of what English immersion means in the classroom before the law can be enforced. The law, passed in 2000, requires immersion classes but allows parents to sign waivers to keep their children in bilingual courses.

Bee was the only Republican candidate not to support vouchers, and he criticized the state’s AIMS testing program as too expensive. Bee prefers a system that would ensure that children in elementary school test out of each grade level before going on.

The two Democratic candidates were far more sedate. Neither was an enthusiastic supporter of AIMS testing, vouchers or the English-immersion law. But they vowed to make the law work since voters approved it.

Rod Rich took every opportunity to point out that he is the only candidate who is actually in the profession of teaching children. Rich is a junior high principal for Mesa Public Schools.

Rich’s opponent is state Sen. Jay Blanchard of Gilbert, an ASU professor whose main message was that parents should take more responsibility for the education of their children. He worries the state is grabbing too much power over what is taught in the classroom. Blanchard also said lawmakers need to stabilize education funding.

The debate was sponsored by the Citizens Clean Elections Commission.



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