Who's Running for Maricopa County School Superintendent?

Two candidates are vying for the office of MCSS: Shelli Boggs and Dr. Laura Metcalfe. 

Shelli Boggs is a former cosmetology teacher and former assistant to indicted fake elector Sen. Jake Hoffman (R). She was an opening speaker for Trump this summer and describes schools as "our battleground." She served as the outreach coordinator for Education Advocates for Kari Lake. As a guest on the Cactus Conservatives podcast, she stated that “the most important thing we can do... is to take over the school board” and eliminate DEI and CRT programs, which she calls “brainwashing and teaching racism.” She is endorsed by Sen. Justine Wadsack (R).

Dr. Laura Metcalfe has over three decades of experience in a range of educational settings, from teaching technical education to principal at an equine charter school. For Maricopa County, she has served as the small schools coordinator for rural districts, overseen special ed programs, and managed grants. Metcalfe holds an MA and EdD in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. She's endorsed by AG Kris Mayes and former State Superintendent Kathy Hoffman. 

The MCSS shapes the direction of education in the Valley; they're responsible for overseeing bond and board elections, as well as filling school board vacancies — and they'll likely do so with individuals who share their ideologies. To help you make an informed choice on your ballot, we're hosting a MCSS Candidate Forum Friday, October 4 at noon. Both candidates were invited to attend.

Click here to learn more and register for this online event. 

Make an Informed Choice

Last week, we invited all the candidates running for Catalina Foothills School District Governing Board to attend a candidate forum. 

Five candidates —  Jacquelyn Davoli, Eileen Jackson, Tom Logue, Bart Pemberton, and Jennifer Repscher — participated in the event. All were given the same questions and had the same amount of time to answer. 

Topics of discussion included whether the candidates support bond and override initiatives, their thoughts on the role (if any) that religion should play in public schools, the role of standardized testing, whether the Pledge of Allegiance (including "under God") should be required before board meetings, and more. 

Click here to watch the forum on the Secular AZ YouTube channel. 

While we don't endorse candidates, we do want Arizonans to be well-informed when they fill out their ballots. In recent weeks, we've hosted a series of presentations related to Arizona elections, with guests like Dianne Post, Victor Aronow, and the League of Women Voters. Please watch on our YouTube channel.

We also offer election resources such as our Secular AZ Legislative Scorecards, links to important voter registration websites, other organizations' ballot guides, and more. 

Religious Refusals of Service Law   in Effect in Colorado

This week, a new law went into effect in Colorado: Hospitals now must disclose which procedures they will not perform for non-medical reasons. 

Why does this matter? Because many of the country's largest health systems — up to 40 percent in some states — are religiously affiliated, often Catholic. But Catholic religious doctrine doesn't allow for many types of reproductive healthcare or gender-affirming care.

For instance, tying tubes, performing a D&C, prescribing hormones, performing an abortion to save the mother's life in an ectopic pregnancy situation... all prohibited under a set of medical directives issued by the clergy who run the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Again, clergy. Not doctors. Not scientists. Clergy.

A 2020 survey found that refusal of healthcare on religious grounds was a top priority. We’ve seen instances of refusal from here in Arizona; for example, multiple pregnant patients undergoing c-sections in Sierra Vista have been denied tubal ligations because their Catholic hospital prohibits health services that prevent future pregnancies.

Secular AZ has long focused on this issue, and we're glad to see that Colorado has taken this important first step in ensuring hospital transparency so patients can make informed medical decisions before it's too late. We call upon the Arizona legislature to pass a similar law.

Congratulations!

We are so excited to share the recipients of the Secular Student Alliance's 2024 Student Activist Scholarships! Secular AZ, Humanist Society of Greater Phoenix, and Freedom From Religious Foundation Valley of the Sun Chapter partnered with SSA to honor these amazing activists. 

Annika is pursuing a double major in religion and philosophy, as well as a degree in cyber security. She plans to pursue a career that fights religious extremism and attacks against a pluralistic secular state, both ideologically and codified in cyberspaces. 

Law student Peyton plans on using her educational background in kinesiology, business, and leadership, and merging her passion for health advocacy with a legal framework to effect systemic change. Identifying as a humanist, Peyton's secular identity is rooted in values of compassion, acceptance, and community service.

Ray's graduate study in environmental science and microbiology will help him conduct research in pollution cleanup and contribute to environmental restoration efforts. His SSA leadership offered a vital sense of community, providing a platform for civil discussions and breaking down stereotypes about nonreligious people.

Sami is about to finish his political science degree and embark upon graduate studies, leading toward a career focused on public service and technology policy. Along the way, he's cultivated expertise in governance, international relations, and public policy, with an academic focus complemented by his selection as a Princeton University Public Policy and International Affairs Fellow, and as a Secular AZ Board Member.