News & Commentary

Recent reports coming out of Norterra Canyon School give us cause for concern. According to some middle school students, they were told it is inappropriate to talk about sexual orientation at school. This is wrong and unlawful.

Last week, I took a field trip to the Arizona State Capitol with the ACLU of Arizona’s Campaign for Smart Justice. Standing in the halls of power was an informative and empowering experience and has me fired up to advocate for long-overdue criminal legal reform.

Prop. 205 is named “Tucson Families Free and Together” because that’s exactly what this historic initiative aims to do. If passed, Prop. 205 will make Tucson a safer city for all its residents. It will keep families together, communities strong and rebuild the public’s trust in local police.

Gov. Doug Ducey recently appointed former Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery to the Arizona Supreme Court despite his controversial history and the fact that he has no judicial experience.

In Arizona, elected county attorneys are the most powerful people in the criminal justice system. As the county’s chief prosecutor, they have the power to decide who goes to prison and for how long. As well-connected politicians, they have the power to influence laws, policies, and even judicial appointments.

This week, the Arizona Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan will formally retire leaving behind a department in turmoil. I spent 13 years in the Arizona prison system and I recently met with members of Gov. Ducey's staff to recommend some much-needed changes that should come with Ryan's departure. 

Times are changing and the pressure society has placed upon the youth has only grown. Many of our classmates feel like the weight of the world has been placed on our shoulders. While we’re seeing an increase in suicide in teens, the topic of mental health remains taboo. It’s time to bring light to this topic — and work together to find solutions.

In a brazen display of unchecked power and influence, Yavapai County Attorney Sheila Polk censored a public defender by keeping him from sharing with Arizonans how much influence she and her fellow county attorneys have at the state Legislature.

The 54th Arizona legislature adjourned in the early hours of May 28, 2019 – let’s recap some of the most important bills that the ACLU of Arizona supported and spoke out against.