Arizona’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, has issued a clear ultimatum to the Kyrene School District: drop the progressive diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language from official policy, or forfeit over $1.5 million in federal funding.
The Kyrene School District, located in the East Valley and serving parts of Phoenix, Tempe, and Chandler, recently adopted a policy that echoes leftist DEI rhetoric. The policy, called the “Kyrene Promise,” pledges to “provide welcoming, inclusive learning environments in which every student is honored, valued, and feels a strong sense of belonging and purpose.”
Superintendent Horne, however, isn’t buying it.
“If they don’t sign an attestation that they don’t use DEI, they will lose their federal funding,” Horne said, making it clear that schools pushing divisive ideology over academics will not be rewarded.
Horne has emphasized that this issue isn’t just about legal compliance—it’s philosophical. The left’s obsession with group identity over individual merit, he argues, leads to lowered standards and a decline in academic excellence.
“I’m glad the federal government is helping us now, to get us back on track, and treat people as individuals,” Horne said. “We should focus on academic progress and character—not what race they’re in.”
Kyrene school officials are pushing back, claiming that the DEI language is non-political and rooted in inclusivity. Governing Board President Kevin Walsh defended the policy, saying, “It’s not about quotas or discriminatory practices. It’s about including all students.”
But critics argue that this kind of language is exactly what’s fueling a culture of victimhood and reverse discrimination in schools—where skin color and identity take priority over hard work and achievement.
Not surprisingly, left-leaning Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has come out against Horne’s position, further fueling the ideological battle over public education in the state.
Why does this matter? The Kyrene School District has four Title I schools—campuses that depend heavily on federal funding to serve low-income students. Supporters of Horne’s decision argue that these students deserve a focus on academics and opportunity, not ideological indoctrination disguised as inclusivity.
As this standoff unfolds, Superintendent Horne’s stance sends a strong message: Arizona schools should focus on teaching, not virtue signaling.
