Arizona’s universal ESA (Education Savings Account) program has been a major success for families, but it has faced repeated attacks from the media through false and misleading reporting. A recent Arizona Capitol Times headline wrongly claimed that $124 million in improper ESA purchases had been approved, when in reality the figure was exaggerated by up to 100 times and none of those purchases were ever officially approved. Although the Times issued a correction, other outlets like 12News have refused to retract their false claims.
Reporters at 12News, including Craig Harris and Joe Dana, have repeatedly misrepresented ESA spending—claiming the state “approved” purchases of non-educational items and inflating the program’s cost to taxpayers—despite clear rules showing such claims are false. This continues a pattern of biased reporting dating back years, where Harris and others published misleading analyses about charter schools and ESA funding.
While bad actors should always be held accountable, the real scandal lies in dishonest journalism that undermines school choice and parental empowerment. Instead of focusing on fabricated ESA controversies, critics should acknowledge the billions wasted annually in underperforming public schools.