Arizona Daily Star- GED students thank PCC: Chancellor is “champion”

Becky Pallack/Arizona Daily Star | Posted: Wednesday, April 14, 2010 7:37 pm |

It was standing room only at the Pima Community College Board meeting on Wednesday.

Students packed the house. But it wasn’t for the tuition discussion.

GED students turned out to thank Chancellor Roy Flores, naming him and the board members “champions” for their commitment to Az’s adult education system.

Here’s the background. The approved state budget eliminated funding for adult education. Flores put PCC’s federal stimulus money in a pot to save adult ed.

The Arizona Association for Lifelong Learning gave a presentation during the public comment portion of the meeting. Their respresentatives said:

Whereas 20 percent of Az adults experience literacy issues;

Whereas the need for a highly literate citizenry is growing rapidly;

Whereas a literate workforce is essential to Az’s future;

Whereas parents are children’s first teachers;

Whereas Az’s adult ed providers served over 21,000 adults last year awarding over 14,500 GEDs;

And whereas the Az adult ed system will continue with PCC’s support

They proclaimed Flores and the board “champions” for their commitment to Az’s adult education system.

A few former students spoke, too. One said she asked Flores when he was an applicant for the chancellor job whether he would support adult ed and he said yes.

“Now I am pleased to see that you have kept your promise to us. Thank you,” she said.

A current GED student said, “I represent 800,000 Arizona residents who don’t have an education or a GED. I want you to know we are counting on you.”

Flores responded to the surprise presentation by acknowledging the hard work of others in adult ed, and he made another commitment:

“We’ll do everything we can to make sure people who hunger for knowledge will get that opportunity,” Flores said.

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