Huppenthal cries, refuses to resign over blog posts

State School Superintendent John Huppenthal breaks down at the end of a press
conference Wednesday where he repudiated comments made in anonymous blogs
about ``lazy pigs'' who get welfare and a diatribe against people who speak Spanish.
But Huppenthal said he will not quit and will pursue his campaign for reelection.

PHOENIX — The state's top school official apologized and repudiated anonymous blog
posts he has made for at least the last four years equating welfare recipients with
"lazy pigs'' and declaring there should be no Spanish-language radio, TV, billboards
and newspapers.

But John Huppenthal said this afternoon he has no intention of resigning the post to
which he was first elected in 2010. And Huppenthal said he will not drop his bid for
re-election this year.

Huppenthal said the comments were not meant in mean spirit but simply his effort
to spur a public policy debate on important issues. He said that is why he wrote,
"This is America, speak English.''

"I believe to the soul, to the core of my being, that the ability to speak, read and write
English is the key to opportunity for students,'' he said at a hastily assembled press
conference. And he said that's why his office has pushed to help ensure that students
achieve fluency.