Higley district signs on for possible EVIT legal action
Screen capture from YouTube
The Higley Unified School District Governing Board listens to Board Member Anna Van Hoek, second from right, as she reads a statement against taking legal action against the East Valley Institute of Technology. Her fellow board members did not agree, voting 4-1 to allow for such action if necessary.
The Higley Unified School District has joined eight other school districts in preparing for possible legal action against the East Valley Institute of Technology in a dispute stemming from negotiations for a new intergovernmental agreement.
The district's governing board voted Sept. 16 to retain the law firm Osborn Maledon as special counsel regarding the agreement, which focuses on the satellite campus funding for classes located at local district schools and related matters.
The district also voted to authorize Osborn Maledon to initiate legal action — if necessary — against EVIT, a provider of career and technical education classes with two campuses in Mesa.
But, as is often the case in Higley, the vote was not unanimous. The board voted 4-1 to take both actions with Board Member Anna Van Hoek voting in dissent.
"At a time when we are preparing to ask our taxpayer to support an override, I cannot in good conscience support taking EVIT to court," she said. "Lawsuits are costly, divisive and take funding away from our classrooms and CTE programs when our focus should remain on our students."
The decision brings Higley together with Gilbert, Queen Creek, Chandler, Cave Creek, Tempe Union, Fountain Hills and J.O. Combs districts, all of which have made similar authorizations.
By law, districts participating in EVIT’s Career and Technical Education District must maintain such agreements, which outline oversight of career and technical education programs and district support for students attending EVIT’s central campuses. The previous IGA expired in July, with only a short extension into August.
Earlier this week, EVIT released a statement criticizing the districts for taking such actions.
“Instead of collaborating to find solutions that best serve students, the (districts' governing boards) voted to hire legal counsel to pursue potential litigation regarding their intergovernmental agreement negotiations with the East Valley Institute of Technology.”
EVIT also criticized the districts in a manner similar manner to Van Hoek.
Its release argued the decision burdens taxpayers with “unnecessary legal expenses driven by misinformation and fear” and shifts resources “away from classrooms and into courtrooms.”
Higley USD Governing Board President Amanda Wade largely declined comment on the action, save one broad statement.
"At the end of the day for me, I will always do what I think is in the best interest long-term for Higley students," she said.
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Meet Tom Tom Blodgett joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2022, when the company acquired Community Impact Newspaper's Phoenix-area properties. Raised in Arizona, he has spent more than 35 years in journalism in the state.
Community: He has served as an instructional professional in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication since 2005, and is editorial adviser to The State Press, the university's independent student media outlet. He also is director of operations for an 18U girls fastpitch softball team from Gilbert.
Education: Arizona State University with a BS in Journalism.
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