TUCSON (KVOA) – Registration begins Friday for Gov. Doug Ducey’s relief program for K-12 students and families.
The program could give up to $7,000 per student to families who are facing financial or educational barriers due to school mandates and closures.
Some see the funding efforts as politically motivated, instead of what is in the best interest for students.
According to the governor’s release, to qualify for this grant, a family must have a total household income at or below 350 percent of the federal poverty level.
The students school must be actively requiring COVID-19 mitigation efforts such as quarantine, isolation or requiring the use of masks.
This money can be used for education-related expenses such as tutoring, child care and tuition.
“This is a completely political move to try to appeal to families that don’t want a mask requirement, which is a really simple, basic thing,” said Adelita Grijalva, Tucson Unified School District Board Member.
As governors across the country have imposed similar bans on mask mandates in schools President Biden addressed the issue.
“Some politicians are trying to turn public safety measures, that includes children wearing masks in school into political disputes for their own political gain,” said Biden.
On Thursday, Gov. Ducey was asked about the president calling on his education secretary to explore possible legal action against states that have blocked school mask mandates and other public health measures meant to protect students.
“Take care of the nations borders and help Americans leave Afghanistan, and leave schools to the states, that’s how the constitution reads,” said Ducey.
Grijalva said this funding is a way for the governor to justify his stance on no mandates in Arizona schools.
“You want schools to not quarantine a child who we know is positive for COVID-19. He would like that child to have no restrictions and return directly into the classroom,” said Grijalva.
When asked if he would sue schools for implementing mask mandates the governor said,
“There are consequences for not following the law, they are in the courts, they are through civil outcomes and they are through the budget.”
So far in Pima County this school year, there has been over 800 COVID-19 cases in schools and 31 outbreaks in classrooms.
Applications for the grant open up Friday and are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
