Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s most recent assault on our school system comes in the form of a political attack on our superintendent, Jharett Bryantt. I guess it wasn’t enough for the governor to have cut $87 million in school funding approved by the Legislature.
Dr. Ben Carson, the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Donald Trump, was in Alaska to keynote a fundraiser for the Republican Women’s Club. The governor andMayor Dave Bronson requested classroom time and space to feature Dr. Carson’s literacy project; the superintendent denied the request. Like hounds to a dog whistle, the far-right ecosystem immediately barked and snarled at our school leaders.
When Superintendent Bryantt made his decision to close the classroom to Dr. Carson, he acted in the best interest of our schools. After all, the classroom is not a “town hall forum” open to any person with an agenda and a First Amendment right of free speech. Dr. Carson was not here on an educational mission; he was here on a partisan political junket hosted by the Republican Party and its affiliates.
I wish the governor and his supporters would stop attacking our schools.
— Elstun W. Lauesen
Anchorage
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