Last week, the Alaska Legislature passed House Bill 57, which would provide a $700 boost to per-student funding. As of Tuesday, the bill still awaits the governor’s signature or veto. We have an opportunity to lobby the governor, and if the governor vetoes then, our legislators, to pass this bill into law. After you have read the information below, please contact politicians in Juneau and let them know what you want for the education of Alaska’s students.
Myths regarding education in Alaska
Claim: “You can’t just throw money at schools and expect results.”
Response: You’re right — it is not about throwing money. It’s about investing it wisely. But let’s be honest: Underfunding schools year after year and then blaming them for underperforming is like starving a plant and complaining it won’t grow. Resources do matter — especially when they mean more teachers, updated materials, functioning buildings and safe classrooms. Every budget is a values statement. If we don’t fund education, we’re saying it doesn’t matter.
Claim: “Our public schools are failing.”
Response: Our public schools are not failing — we are failing them. When we cut funding, strip support and shame teachers instead of supporting them, what do you expect? Schools are doing heroic work in impossible conditions. The real failure is the abandonment of our responsibility to educate every child, not just the ones who fit neatly into a test score.
Claim: “If schools aren’t producing results they don’t deserve more money.”
Response: We don’t say that about roads, or police or the military. We fix what’s broken. We invest and improve. Our schools deserve the same! That’s what a functioning government does. Holding schools accountable means giving them the tools they need and the trust to use them — not setting them up to fail, then pulling out the rug.
Claim: “Public education is bloated and inefficient.”
Response: What is bloated is the myth that we can underfund a system mandated by the Alaska Constitution and still expect excellence. The constitution doesn’t say “fund the public schools only if it’s convenient.” “It says the state shall establish and maintain them.” That’s not optional. That’s our duty.
Claim: “Public education is too expensive.”
Response: You know what is more expensive than public education? Ignorance. Dropouts, unemployment, incarceration, poor health outcomes — those all cost society far more than schools do. Education isn’t a line item to be cut. It’s the smartest investment we can make in our economy, our communities and our future.
Claim: “Our kids are falling behind because the schools are broken.”
Response: No — They’re falling behind because we’ve made school funding a political football. Because we expect teachers to be social workers, test proctors, mental health counselors, and miracle workers — while freezing their wages and increasing class sizes. Let’s stop blaming schools for the conditions we’ve created.
Claim: “Maybe it’s time to privatize education.”
Response: Privatizing education doesn’t fix problems — it abandons responsibility. Public education is one of the few places where the promise of America still exists: a system that says every child matters. The promise isn’t broken. But it’s under attack. And we have a choice — fund it, defend it, and strengthen it — or lose one of the most powerful engines of freedom our country has ever built.
Public education (because all children are included) is our best defense against ignorance, inequality, and instability.
Claim: “Public schools are indoctrinating our kids.”
Response: What’s more indoctrinating than trying to silence history, censor science or erase the lived experiences of millions of Americans? Teaching kids to think critically, question sources and understanding the full story of our democracy isn’t indoctrination — it’s education. Indoctrination is what happens when you demand blind loyalty, not informed participation.
Claim: “Our schools are turning kids against America.”
Response: The Founding Fathers didn’t fear knowledge — they built a system that depends on it. Jefferson said the cornerstone of democracy rests on the foundation of an educated citizenry. Madison warned that without education, we’d lose our liberty. Public education isn’t anti-American. It’s the most patriotic institution we have — because it prepares every child to uphold and improve the republic the Founders gave us.
Claim: “We need to get government out of schools.”
Response. The Alaska Constitution says it clearly (Article VII Section 1): “The legislature shall by general law establish and maintain a system of public schools open to all children of the State.” It’s not optional. It’s a legal and moral obligation.
Public education isn’t a government overreach — it’s a constitutional promise to every Alaska child. Dismantling public schools would break faith with our constitution, our kids, and our future.
Claim: “Public schools push a political agenda.”
Response: You know what pushes a political agenda? Demanding that students only learn a version of history that makes adults comfortable . Real education teaches students how to evaluate ideas, debate respectfully and think for themselves. That’s not indoctrination — It’s inoculation against it.
Claim: “Schools should just stick to reading, writing and arithmetic”
Response: Reading and writing aren’t neutral acts — they’re tools to broaden our understanding of the world and our place in it. Public education is how we prepare young Americans to become active citizens, not passive subjects. In a republic, that is not a side job, THAT is the job.
Claim: “Public schools are brainwashing our kids.”
Response: If someone’s trying to convince you that education is dangerous, ask yourself — what are they afraid kids will learn? That slavery happened? That climate change is real? That other people deserve rights too? That’s not brainwashing. That’s honesty. What’s dangerous is a society that fears facts.