Making drastic cuts to public education is like expecting Mat-Su farmers to save money by not purchasing or planting seeds. During these challenging fiscal times, Alaska simply can't afford to weaken the quality of public education. Alaska has 130,000 students who deserve our commitment to helping all of them thrive in their learning. Our ability to meet our constitutional responsibility to provide every Alaska student with an excellent, nurturing, supportive, enthusiastic public education will determine the quality of Alaska's future. A great education for Alaska's students is part of the solution to every problem we face in Alaska. Our students deserve the best from parents, educators and our legislators.
I am an example of the importance of public education. My father dropped out of school in 10th grade and his top salary logging was $26,000 a year. I didn't have strong parental pressure to attend college, but I did have a wonderful public school system with great teachers who encouraged me to work hard, excel academically and to further my education beyond high school. My college selection process consisted of completing and mailing one application to the University of Alaska Fairbanks. As a first-generation college student, I found UAF challenging. Palmer High School didn't have a calculus class when I was a student, and it was a bit intimidating to sit next to and compete with kids from Anchorage who already had calculus in high school.
I pushed through the uncertainty of my ability to succeed and completed a degree in petroleum engineering. I was even selected for an award as an outstanding member of the UAF student chapter of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, an accomplishment that never would have happened if it wasn't for the encouragement and support I received growing up with great public education. Today, I teach AP calculus and geometry. Every day, I wake up determined to help Mat-Su students be successful in math. It's exhilarating and an honor to help students learn and gain confidence on their journey to success. It's exciting to see my students successfully compete for scholarships to prestigious universities and entrance into our nation's finest military academies. It's rewarding to see former students who are strong community members and successful in the military, business, health care, public service or a trade.
This is not the time to waver in our support for strong, vibrant, public schools where students thrive, learn and grow. Legislators are now considering devastating more than 50 communities across Alaska by closing their schools in order to possibly save $6 million. Keep in mind that in 2014, the Alaska Legislature approved giving up to $10 million in tax credits each per year for several years to only three oil refineries. Even though the Tesoro refinery was profitable and never requested a windfall, legislators reasoned that they "didn't want to pick winners and losers" and included it anyway. In essence, legislators are considering abandoning hundreds of rural Alaska kids in order to subsidize a profitable refinery that didn't need or ask for the money.
Also keep in mind the geographical and racial inequities of these possible school closures. Alaska won't be closing down an Anchorage elementary school and asking students to leave their families and move 134 miles to Sterling for their education. Imagine the uproar if it was even suggested. However, legislators are scaring parents and students on the island of Little Diomede by suggesting they might lose their school. Are we expecting Little Diomede students to paddle 26 miles to the village of Wales for their constitutionally required education? Or do we expect elementary students to leave their families and move 134 miles to Nome?
The Alaska Legislature should stop terrifying villages and categorically state that it won't be closing any rural schools. Please call and email your legislators and demand that they stop threatening to cause the economic and educational collapse of more than 50 wonderful Alaska communities. Also ask them to reverse the proposed $2 million cut to Pre-K and instead double funding to $4 million. A legislature that spent $4 million last year to rent Anchorage offices with glass elevators, bathrooms with maple doors, and self-opening trash cans should be able to spend at least the same amount on Alaska's youngest learners. Alaska students deserve our best efforts, especially from our legislators. It's time to put Alaska students first.
Bob Williams is a math teacher in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District and a former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor.
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