Tom Horne Responds After ESA Students’ Private Information Disclosed

Yee slammed the SPI in a statement — Horne fires back, and Pam Kirby asks: what about the journalists who published the information?

A firestorm is erupting in the media after the Arizona Department of Education made an egregious blunder by releasing the personally identifiable information of Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) students. The breach has sent shockwaves through parents and lawmakers, raising fresh concerns about the department’s handling of sensitive data.

ADE Communication Director Doug Nick has taken full responsibility for the mistake. But the fallout is far from over.

Superintendent Tom Horne responded to State Treasurer and Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate Kimberly Yee, telling State 48 News the following:

“An error was made by an employee which was understandable because the form that was used for the list did not call for any personal information. In a tiny percentage of cases parents wrote something about their child in a memorandum to themselves. All the news agencies that had the information have agreed to take them down.

I am the defender of school choice and the ESA‘s. Kim, in her announcement that she was running stated that she would not have any limitations on funding with parents asked for, Which would mean that she would fund things like a $5000 watch, a $24,000 golf simulator, and believe it or not a vasectomy testing kit.

This would undermine the credibility of the program and threaten its survivability. Because this program is very important to me, I am focused on its survivability Which means that every payment has to be for a valid educational purpose and at a reasonable cost according to the market for meeting the child’s needs.”

SPI Tom Horne

The error comes at a time when the ESA program is already under intense scrutiny, with both advocates and critics closely watching its management. Now, with trust on the line, Horne faces pressure to not only reassure ESA families but also restore confidence in the system that many depend on for their children’s education.

Among those voicing outrage was Yee, who has long positioned herself as a defender of student privacy. Yee, who previously authored legislation to strengthen these protections, sharply criticized Horne’s actions.

In a statement posted to social media, she said the following:

"Tom Horne's vendetta against the nearly 100,000 students and their families who choose Empowerment Scholarship Accounts has crossed a dangerous line, compromising the privacy of Arizona students and likely violating federal privacy law. This isn't just incompetence; it's a direct assault on school choice. As Superintendent, you have my promise that I’ll never play politics with your child’s private, personal information. It’s time to restore trust in our education system, refocus on the basics, and put children first.“

You can read her full statement here.

Pam Kirby, with the Arizona Coalition, placed part of the blame on journalists for failing to safeguard the privacy of students. Kirby raised an important question: at what point should journalistic ethics prioritize protecting children?

As this controversy unfolds, more people are asking why the conversation has centered only on the Arizona Department of Education’s egregious error, while overlooking the role of journalists who chose to publish sensitive, identifying information about children. Who were those reporters and editors that effectively doxxed kids?

Accountability should not stop at the department. Protecting students means demanding answers from every adult involved, including members of the press who failed in their responsibility to put children above clicks and headlines.