Last week, widespread outrage erupted over ASD’s placement of a non-endorsement sticker on America’s founding documents. Must Read Alaska broke the story and demanded, “ASD must answer for this action.” MRAK and our community of readers now have ASD’s explanation both about the non-endorsement fiasco and also ASD’s renaming of Veterans Day as “student release professional development day” on the school calendar. Corey Allen Young, the Assistant Director of Communications, Publications, and External Affairs for Anchorage School District, provides the answers.
Regarding the non-endorsement sticker on a booklet of the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, ASD openly apologizes to the community, stating: “This request should have been directed to another team, such as Teaching and Learning or Donations, for review instead. We made a mistake, and we’re sorry for the mix-up. We’re already following up with the requestor to make sure it’s handled correctly moving forward.”
ASD also addresses fictitious claims from independent journalist Dermot Cole and other community members defending the non-endorsement disclaimer. Dermot Cole claims, “Hillsdale put the disclaimers on the documents.” However, Corey Young states: “The requestor followed the flyer/poster guidelines which includes adding the disclaimer themselves.”
The requestor, not Hillsdale College, added the disclaimer. In a serious lapse of judgement, the requestor (who ASD declines to identify), miscategorized America’s founding documents as a community flyer or poster. The requestor’s mistake does not fully excuse ASD as the guidelines clearly state: “It is the responsibility of the community organization to present the material to the Communications, Publications, and External Affairs for review and approval.” This department should have recognized the inappropriate mis-categorization of our nation’s founding documents and directed the requestor to pursue the correct avenue, which would have avoided the disclaimer being placed on the documents.
ASD cleared up another false allegation leveled against Hillsdale College by Dermot Cole and others: “Hillsdale College mixes its own propaganda with those documents… No apology was necessary. The disclaimer was entirely appropriate.”
Corey Young was asked the following question: “Is there anything other than the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in the pamphlet? If yes, please provide proof of this with pictures of the content as well as an explanation of why ASD feels the need to distance itself from that content.” Corey Young did not reply with examples of propaganda or additional material in the pamphlet, but instead repeated ASD’s apology, acknowledged the disclaimer as a mistake, and stated ASD’s commitment to upholding America’s founding documents and the values found therein.
Furthermore, many organizations provide booklets with the Constitution and Declaration of Independence. If ASD had a reasonable objection to the content provided by Hillsdale College, the Department of Communications, Publications, and External Affairs could have instructed the requestor to choose a different organization to procure the documents. ASD does not accuse Hillsdale College of using the pamphlets to spread propaganda but on the contrary, agrees that the non-endorsement disclaimer was inappropriate.
Regarding the renaming of Veterans Day on the school calendar, ASD responded: “The calendar was designed to focus more on instructional and non-instructional days rather than holidays. Due to limited space, not all holidays are included. Not naming November 11 specifically as ‘Veterans Day’ was not intended to diminish the importance of the holiday.”
Additionally, Corey Young assures the community that “beginning next school year, Veterans Day is back on the calendar and it’s a full school closure day for both students and staff in recognition of the holiday.”
MRAK will continue to monitor public institutions for errors which unintentionally but damagingly indicate anti-American sentiments.
For transcripts of the on-record conversations and quotes cited in this article, please write to [email protected].