Following Ben Carson’s tour, supported and partially organized by Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Anchorage Mayor Dave Bronson, the former U.S. Secretary of Housing’s conservative think tank took to social media to announce its patriotic and faith-based curriculum was being installed in Alaska’s public education system.
That isn’t exactly true, though, as Department of Education and Early Development (DEED) Commissioner Deena Bishop later clarified that individual districts can decide whether to adopt the “Little Patriots” curriculum.
“(DEED) does not approve curriculum. Alaska is a local control state and school districts have the authority at the local school board level to consider curriculum … We welcome districts to review and choose curricula that meet their standards. If a school district chooses to adopt supplemental educational material, it can be used in class,” Bishop said in a statement. “There are no formal steps that DEED takes to encourage districts to make use of any curriculum, unless it is associated with implementing a law such as the Alaska Reads Act.”
According to ASD spokesman MJ Thim, the district is not considering Little Patriots.
“The Anchorage School District (ASD) has no plans to review new elementary school curriculum proposals this year,” Thim said. “ASD is focused on a successful launch of its new reading curriculum which includes the Alaska Reads Act.”
Carson, a retired neurosurgeon who served under former President Donald Trump after challenging him for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, founded the conservative think tank American Cornerstone Institute (ACI) in 2021. One of it’s major projects is an online curriculum called “Little Patriots.” Little Patriots emphasizes America’s founding principles and Carson’s Christian faith as well as conservative thought.
Carson’s visit, organized primarily to speak at a $300-per-person fundraiser for the Anchorage Republican Women’s Club, became heavily politicized when Carson requested to speak at Mountain View Elementary in Anchorage.
Anchorage School District Superintendent Jharrett Bryantt denied Carson’s request to visit Mountain View Elementary, kicking off a right-wing media circus. Conservative blog “Must Read Alaska” wrote suggesting that ASD “banned” Carson, while Bronson, an avid follower of Must Read Alaska, complained about the decision on Facebook, saying he was “disappointed that Superintendent Bryantt has banned Dr. Ben Carson from visiting Anchorage School District schools.”
Bryantt wrote in a letter to parents questioning the decision that “ASD must stay focused on student learning.”
“The first three weeks of a school year are where the foundations for success are established,” Bryantt said. “This particular request was respectfully declined. Contrary to the false narrative being shared in our community and online, no one was banned.”
Carson arranged to speak at the Mountain View Boys and Girls Club in Anchorage as well as Iditarod Elementary in Wasilla, with Gov. Mike Dunleavy and Bishop traveling to Iditarod to join Carson and hold a press conference at the school. Bishop previously served as ASD Superintendent.
According to reporting by the Anchorage Daily News, Carson said politics were to blame for him not speaking at Mountain View Elementary.
“Some people have allowed politics to enter the educational arena,” he said in reference to Bryantt’s decision.
He also promoted Little Patriots and handed out copies of his children’s books.
Shortly after, on Aug. 21, ACI posted the first of several social media posts on their official Facebook page, claiming that Carson’s Little Patriots curriculum was now “part” of the curriculum in Alaska schools.
“After a school tour of Iditarod Elementary School this morning with Governor Mike Dunleavy, the American Cornerstone Institute team is honored to announce our Little Patriots program is now part of the supplemental curriculum within the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development,” ACI posted “Thank you Alaska! We look forward to seeing your students learn and grow as Little Patriots!”
A couple days later, the Facebook page “Little Patriots” posted a similar message:
“Thanks to Governor Mike Dunleavy and the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, Little Patriots is available as supplemental curriculum in Alaska public schools.
Way to go, Alaska! 🇺🇸”
Altogether, the Current found eight different posts on three social media platforms, including on Carson’s personal Twitter account, claiming the “Little Patriots” curriculum would be used as supplemental educational material in Alaska schools, with several thanking Governor Dunleavy and DEED for making it possible.
After receiving Bishop’s initial statement Monday, the Current sent screenshots of the social media posts to DEED, seeking more details about Carson’s social media claims and a statement about the apparent misinformation being shared online. As of publishing this story, DEED has not responded.
