After 7 months of friction, education board's executive director quits

PHOENIX — Seven months after Diane Douglas tried to fire her, the executive director of the state Board of Education is calling it quits.

And that will pave the way for a new legal fight.

Christine Thompson said in a letter Friday to members of the education community that she is leaving the board “with a heavy heart.” Thompson said she will work through Nov. 6.

Thompson did not cite a reason. But she has been the target of attacks by the state schools chief for months.

Board president Greg Miller told Capitol Media Services the reason for Thompson’s departure is “pretty self-evident.”

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In February, Douglas fired Thompson and Christina Vazquez, who had been Thompson’s assistant. Douglas, elected on a platform of scrapping the Common Core academic standards, called them “two liberal staff who have publicly stated they will block all efforts to repeal or change Common Core.”

But Gov. Doug Ducey, who controls the Department of Administration that handles personnel matters, instructed that agency to keep the pair on the payroll. The board ended up having to retain an attorney to ensure Thompson and Vazquez could get into their offices.

That didn’t end the friction, with the board eventually voting to move Thompson and her staff out of the Department of Education building that Douglas controls and into new offices. Vazquez has since quit.

The board meets Tuesday to begin the replacement process. But Douglas, through attorney Steve Tully, contends that Arizona law allows the board to hire only employees who have been recommended by her.

In July, however, ruling in a lawsuit brought by Douglas against the board, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Patricia Starr rejected that argument. The case is on appeal.