If you haven’t been on Alaska’s right-wing political blogs lately, you’ll have likely missed out on what’s becoming the most significant, darkest political controversy in modern Alaska history: The Anchorage School District didn’t roll out the red carpet for, as Gov. Mike Dunleavy put it in a news release, “world renown neurosurgeon” Dr. Ben Carson.
Instead, the former housing secretary, governor and his entourage had to schlep out to the Mat-Su on Monday, where he made an appearance at Iditarod Elementary School in Wasilla, then returned for a stop at the Boys and Girls Club after-school program in Anchorage’s Mountain View neighborhood. He’ll be at a Republican fundraiser—the point of the trip—later tonight. No word if the doctor would be lending a hand with the governor’s proofreading.
According to reporting by the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska education commissioner Deena Bishop—a close Dunleavy ally—reached out to Mountain View Elementary to see about hosting an assembly for Carson. That request was forwarded to ASD Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt, who decided that perhaps the third day of the new school year wasn’t the best time for a school-wide assembly—for anyone, regardless of their credentials.
“The decision was based on (Bryantt’s) belief in the sacredness of classroom instructional time during the first three weeks of a new school year. Those three weeks set strong foundations for a student’s school year success,” district spokesperson MJ Thim said in an email to the ADN.
The whole brouhaha has Alaska’s far-right Republicans in a predictable tizzy, calling into question the leadership of ASD Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt. Far-right Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson—who will be heading into a tough election next year and needs anything other than his deeply shady record to run on—took what would be an unusual step for any other administration by releasing a news release denouncing Bryantt’s “banning” of Carson visiting the school.
Unsurprisingly, it’s a scandalous claim that doesn’t precisely match what happened.
“No one was banned,” Thim told the ADN. “Nothing was canceled because nothing was scheduled.”
Still, that hasn’t cooled the far-right outrage machine from focusing on the leadership of the state’s largest school district. It’s important to note that Superintendent Bryannt has been outspoken about the impacts and risks created by ongoing underfunding of schools, driven mainly by Gov. Dunleavy and his legislative allies in recent years. His warning about the potential for school closures has helped fuel support for funding.
Support for increased school funding hit a critical mass this year with bipartisan support for what would have been the largest one-time increase for school funding. Attempts to make that permanent were stymied by far-right House Republicans, and Gov. Dunleavy ultimately vetoed the one-time increase by half.
Bryantt and Anchorage School Board President Margo Bellamy asked local legislators to help override the veto, warning that letting the vetoes stand would cut hundreds of positions. That ran contrary to Dunleavy’s claims that schools are adequately funded.
“The disruptive veto decision unnecessarily causes stress on an already vulnerable public education system,” they said. “Alaska state law is clear on the roles and responsibility of funding Alaska’s public education system.”
The common thread through much of the right-wing pushback is the idea that maybe some kids would have been so inspired by Carson’s brief visit that their life would have been forever changed for the better—seemingly far more than stable and adequate school funding that they’ve opposed would.
In an opinion column, Nazi-defending Eagle River Republican Rep. Jamie Allard writes that refusing to host Ben Carson—”an American hero and symbol of the American Dream”—calls into question Bryannt’s character and ability to do his job. She suggests the entire trajectory of kids’ lives may have been changed by this “inspiring encounter of that magnitude.”
“To veto him based on politics, religion, or personal preference is folly at best and discrimination at worst,” Allard, who as co-chair of the House Education Committee devoted much of the legislative session to hearing Dunleavy’s version of Florida’s notorious “Don’t Say Gay” bill and opposed the Legislature’s increase to school funding. “It’s sad that Anchorage’s superintendent couldn’t see that benefits of such an accomplished man being able to inspire each and every one of us. I question if he has the experience or ability to understand the importance of what it means to educate our children.”
According to the ADN’s coverage of Caron’s visit to the Anchorage Boys and Girls Club, the former Republican candidate for president read a book to kids, offered to hand out copies and dragged ASD’s leadership, claiming “some people have allowed politics to enter the educational arena.”
He also promoted his “Little Patriots” program, a right-wing lesson program for parents “horrified” of what’s being taught in schools.
Matt Acuña Buxton is a long-time political reporter who has written for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and The Midnight Sun political blog. He also authors the daily politics newsletter, The Alaska Memo, and can frequently be found live-tweeting public meetings on Twitter.
