When school boards get together for meetings, the public is usually able to attend.
But when the Alaska Association of School Boards gets together to talk strategy for the coming year, the public is not welcome. That’s what Nial Williams discovered when he sat in on the Association of Alaska School Board conference this weekend at the Anchorage Hilton and quietly videotaped the proceedings. Until he was unceremoniously booted out.
The focus of the meeting was on the concept of racism and “equity,” which is one of the newer educational trends. Equity is understood in this era to be different from equality. Equity means every persons gets to succeed, and assistance is given according to their perceived need, in order to level the playing field. It’s a socialistic concept rooted in Critical Race theory.
Featured in the meeting was Anchorage School Board Chairwoman Margo Bellamy, who spoke at length about the concepts of disparity and promoted the concept of teaching Critical Race Theory. The document under consideration says Critical Race Theory without actually saying it:
Bellamy believes that people who are black or brown have no real chance in the current system because it has barriers to their success. Bellamy said “we can’t leave out the word ‘racism’.”
Watch her remarks here if the video is not embedded.
The four-day meeting also featured various awards for school board members across Alaska. Among those receiving awards for service is former Anchorage Board President Elisa Vakalis, who has been charged with theft and fraud.
Of note, the Mat-Su Borough School Board is not a member of AASB, and has not been for at least three years.
Parents and voters in Alaska have yet to wake up to the fact that our school systems are all woke up.
Are these divisive and self-righteous school board demons pushing “equity”, or “iniquity”?
I’d say both.
Jeff: You wouldn’t think that if you accepted the Separation of Church and State doctrine upon which this country is founded.
There are a lot of prime Covid-19 comorbidity candidates in that video is what I am seeing.
Truth. Maybe less propaganda and more PE!!!
?hmmmmm, how does the School Board Association explain the fact that LKSD on the YK Delta has at least 25 Villages without a single white kid in the school, yet the worst proficiency test scores in the State???
Seems to me the only ones that could have a negative effect on the Village Schools is the reginal School Board itself.
And probably dollar for dollar more spent here than just about anywhere. So- plenty of money, no white kids, and still it’s not doing well..at ALL..sort of destroys two of their most basic premises…
Yes, let’s also explain why people come here from all points of the compass on the earth where they we taught classic fundamental Western style school skills AND MAKE IT….. and those people say that spoiled American minorities “should be glad to be here”.
There aren’t any white kids and any of those River villages because the teachers there don’t have any kids or didn’t bring them with them. Critical race theory isn’t why the kids have low test scores in the bush. School boards have thrown money time and time again with technology and the latest song and dance idea that comes down the pike to try to better education but not much has worked. Alaska school boards do have some racist people in them for sure. I’ve seen it. Mostly school boards would like white teachers to not be in their schools and want all native local teachers regardless if they’re certified. I don’t believe that critical race theory plays a part in Bush education. It is what it is there. Kids wake up get on the bus go to school learn the board curriculum and come home and do what they do after that. Nobody is trying to build a housing condo in the bush villages and devaluating Bush property values. The whole thing’s a joke, but I have witnessed a guy teaching and his social studies and history classroom that Malcolm x was some kind of a hero. They don’t teach Malcolm x the felon, but Malcolm x the unjustly prison person. When you only teach half the truth all you’re doing is teaching a lie.
This will lead to more parents pulling their kids out. That is a good thing in my opinion, that way our kids won’t all be brainwashed.
Was this a public meeting?
Not exactly. It is a membership meeting. The person doing the video was not a member, but all members are publicly elected officials, so there is a strong case to be made for it being a public meeting or violation of the Open Meetings Act. – sd
I’ll guarantee that everybody who was there was in work or travel status authorized by their employer. The dues to the Association are paid from public funds, the attendees are paid from public funds, travel and per diem or actual expenses are paid from public funds. Whether they want to admit it or not it is a public meeting and they broke the law.
Correct Art. As a matter of fact in the last 10 years the ASD has spent more than $711,000 to support both the National and State AK School Board Associations.
Getting kicked out of a public meeting for recording it suggests there is something to hide from the public. Thank you, Suzanne Downing and Must Read Alaska, for making these nefarious activities public.
On another concern, every time another Liberal Democrat in a position of power is charged with criminal activities, I’m reminded that it’s only natural to behave badly for people without a grounded value system of moral behavior, and belief that truth, justice and honor have value. I fear we have raised an entire generation struggling to find a true path. They don’t even understand the concept.
Doxxed!
I personally believe that it is too late for public schools to get back to being patriotic, capitalistic, core subject oriented institutions.They are completely left leaning and do not deserve the support of a public which disagrees with their marxist agenda.
But…
If conservative and even centrist people want to make a difference, they need to start loading the school boards and in so doing oppose the NEA’s regional affiliates.
Still, I’d never allow my child close to a public school. I’m so glad I teach in a Christian school, and that most of my grandchildren have gone or go to Christian schools or are home schooled.
Hey AK Schools, how are your math and reading scores? Really poor across the board? Equity achieved.
Touche!
The lack of brain development from synap stimulation has caused this. Not being read to as an infant, spending afternoon after school playing video games, being bored to death with nothing to do in the village, doing the same old tired thing everyday with nothing new to learn, this is what causes low test scores, the lack of stimulating brain activity so that it can grow. It’s the village. If you take the kid out of the village and take him to some other school with average test scores, by the time he graduates high school his test scores will be average or better with all things being equal. You can dump as much money as you want on the problem but all that money and effort isn’t addressing the real problem.
I think Greg is onto something here.
Reminder:
The operative word in Critical Race Theory is not “race.”
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It is Critical.
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Marx, pushes it in Critique of Pure Reason, and it is a basic tenet of Marxism. Find any system in society, and focus solely on the negative aspects of it. It is a powerful tool. Critical economic theory is behind the idea of wealth re-distribution, and taxing the rich into oblivion. By pointing out the wage disparity between a part time new hire, and the CEO, it justifies a $15/hr. minimum wage. (And creates resentment for the person running the company.)
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Critical race theory does the same. A black kid does not do as well on math as a white kid, therefore math is racist. There are not enough blacks taking up STEM studies, therefore STEM is racist. At no point should you ever point out the blacks that are successful at math, or STEM. That too is racist.
Loudoun County North. I wonder what else they are covering up?
CRT isn’t going anywhere. It’s been around for decades under a variety of names.
Only difference now is they are just more comfortable being out in the open about it.
So the ASD school board has been lying all along.
Let’s be clear, no public K-12 school system in the country teaches Critical Race Theory. This is a fake news kind of thing that has nothing to do with Critical Race Theory, which is taught only in college academic courses, and not very many of them. It’s been around for many years.
Every one settle down. This is not an issue.
Yeah, and the sky is not blue, and grass is not green.
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Homer Rectus says: “Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?”
Can you define critical race theory as it’s being taught in our schools here in Alaska?
My eyes see racism, not Critical Race Theory. Not the same thing. And the racism I see is generously spread throughout all races and tribes and clans and ideologies.
Homo is part of the disinformation campaign to deny what is inevitably true. Deny, obfuscate, and deflect. CRT is being taught in grammer and secondary education. It’s disguised through a series of teachings that focuses on diversity, tolerance, and inclusion. Democrats and Communists who teach are kids have been using tricks of the trade like this for decades. CRT is taught in a way that is designed to look almost Christian……..but taught by atheists. These creeps are counting on you NOT to detect their tomfoolery.
I think you’re giving the homo a little too much credit.
He’s just your common, everyday liberal troll whose life is completely tied up in posting on conservative web sites. It’s what gives him purpose. I mean, basement room in mom’s house and all…
Geez, Steve. You’ve just defined what Senator Scott Kawasaki did before he became a senator.
Basement room, bingo. One outta four ain’t bad.
Can you define the lessons in grammar and secondary education? I would really like to see where this imaginary lesson falls in reality.
JOHN S., the anti-CRT crowd are confusing history with “critical race theory.”
They can’t define anything because their understanding of history and how it has led us to where we are today is caught up in various, vague conspiracy theories. QAnon is a prime example of this sort of thing. So is the anti-Covid pushback. Good information is out there, but they choose to ignore it. Conspiracy theories are ill defined and most of those who believe them can articulate them only in emotional, nonspecific terms.
Just because they do not name it as such, does not mean they are not teaching it.
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I could teach calculus and differential equations at a grammar school level, and claim I am just teaching mathmatics. I would be correct in saying so as well. I could teach history, but use the Howard Zinn text (fiction actually), and I would be correct. Even though I am not actually teaching history.
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It IS an issue because of the content, not because of the name used for the content. So, no. I will not settle down.
I think all the blood went into your erectus and you are not thinking clearly.
They sure don’t in Florida and Texas. I was just reading that a principal had to quit in Texas for trying to pull that.
Wake up Alaska Parents and read in the Education News June 1 2021 by Paul Gottfried Title Critical Race Theory is Worse than Marxism. How about Suffer the Children: Critical Race Theory in the Classroom by Kevin RobertsPHD May 10 2021 in the Washington Examiner. or Critical Race Theory: What it is and how to fight it March 2021 Imprimis by Christopher F. Rufo Also listen to some of the wonderful African`American Education Leaders to denounce Critical Race Theory.
Oh yes DREQUITY Alaska schools were recently at the bottom of the 50 states for fourth grade reading. I believe in Equality, you can scrape the plate of equity in the garbage and teach every student regardless of color they are beautiful and can achieve the American Dream. if they so desire. How about that Margo Bellamy?
How about “The Schools Our Children Deserve” by Alfie Kohn.
All I see is a bunch of Morons in Masks. Why would anyone send their kids to be “educated” by them?
Because they are probably more astute than Morons without Masks.
Bellamy believes that people who are black or brown have no real chance in the current system because it has barriers to their success. Bellamy said “we can’t leave out the word ‘racism’.”
No the only “barrier” to their success is their own doing.. Every time, all the time. If one wishes to succeed then you must work at it, not be given it just because it’s considered “fair”… What a woke mess… If I still had kids in school they would be out. Absolutely disgusting.
Bellamy will also ignore or outright dismiss any non-white person who is successful in the education system, who goes on to get a good college education, and has a successful career/life. Because it does not exemplify a failure of the system, it is to be ignored, or dismissed.
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That is the desired outcome of critical theory. Only focus on the negatives of the system, ignore any positives.
Sounds like it’s the teachers and staff the school districts had been hiring the last 40 years. Why don’t they just fire anyone whose been working the last 20 years in the school district. That will solve their equity issues of brown and black kids being picked on if they remove the employees that been employed the last twenty years.
I disagree with you as usual Jen. To me it doesn’t sound like you have a clue about what’s going on. In fact I can guarantee it.
I am in Fairbanks and I have quite a bit of information about this subject and the schoolboard will be hearing from me on a continuous basis until they give up this racist teaching practice!!!
I am really confused, we have had wars to stop segregation and make life more inclusive.
People have literally died fighting for people’s freedom to integrate and be free to do and be whatever they want to be. I am a child of the 70s and my generation is probably the first to really not see color or race amongst my peers.
Now after all these years they want to go backwards. WTH? This is so wrong.
All the fighting was mostly over when you got around in the 1970s. You should have been here in the 1950s and 60s. I can tell you that a lot of the color I saw was red from violence being caused by black and brown folks. But I lived in the suburbs of Kansas City, and I doubt they saw much of that in the wheat fields of Kansas.
In their world, they are not going backwards.
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They are forcing the whites into subservience. In their minds, this is a good thing. It is justice.
Thank you for your words of wisdom. Only us who have lived in the 60s and 70s know, because we were part of it, the civil rights movement got our country on the right track because we followed MLKJrs words.
Now, in my 70s, I find I will still be an activist…..for all children!!!! Boomers unite on this!!!!
Which of Martin Luther King Jr’s words did you follow, the one where we’re all equal under God and I have a dream stuff or the words that he said in private in a motel room that was tapped by the FBI of him and trying to incite violence?
Without having some drama to combat in their lives, they would have to settle for mainstream distractions. That, or some personal self reflection. It is my understanding that many people cannot be in a silent room by themselves without having an anxiety riddled panic attack within 5 minutes.
This stuff gives them ‘purpose’ and it is their reality. Any attempts to take their reality away makes them lash out.
These fools should be abandoned and left to their own self destructive devices. Keep them far away from the healthy, else they will infect and spread.
My brown children say CRT is a fabrication and the big lie personified. I say its a fabrication and a Marxist program and a crutch for some hoping for a handout. CRT is a brainwash of falsehoods and its concept is to demoralize a country. It has ZERO merit and does no good. Any educator wanting any part of CRT needs to find another job… not a teaching job… unless maybe another country already in the throws of totalitarianism… try Cuba. I think they need teachers in Cuba… its warm most anytime of year. Free health care periodically although they can’t keep Doctors for some reason…and bread rations sometimes. Maybe China if you care about privacy for I hear they have an array of housing to choose from and very affordable. Outlaw CRT and anyone teaching it.
It’s the school boards. Not so much teachers. I once knew a school board president that hired their neice for a director position. In a meeting, the director made a statement about how white the room full of principals was. Said it wasn’t brown enough. Now I’m partially brown, but that sort of open racism is just rude and condecending.
Tell me again how Alaska is a red state. I know it’s something many of you tell yourselves to sleep at night, but it’s just not true.
It’s kind of turning to a bluish shade of pink. But that’s what happens when virus from the Left Coast spreads northwards.
This is a problem. Here’s a question. Are Alaska Municipal League meetings considered public?
Retransformation
The new Republican “term” for life after…… Let’s Go, Brandon.
They don’t teach Criminal RAP gang culture either. At bottom and for real they should call it Critical FACE Theory. Coz if you really really know libs and lefties, IT’s all about their general lack of physical attractiveness and conniving to get sex any way possible. Think about it!
I have seen instances where the recently oppressed have approached those long oppressed thinking they might get an equitable kind guidance, empathy and support. I know I thought that. I got a diatribe on the lack of help available to him and a long treatise of his endurance. He did give a recommendation and it helped. I.am very thankful to that minority gentleman for not shutting his door to me. Also, I know a lady who believed she was kidnapped as a child she went to the minority community for equitable emotional support. Zip. She was homeless, shoeless, in the snow (not an Alaskan anecdote) at the time she made her request. They never let her in the door. Strange. So equity starch in da home.
I must question the assertion that the annual AASB meeting is not a public meeting. Every school district whose board members attend this meeting must pay the AASB for each persons attendance. And from where does the money to attend the meeting actually come from? It comes from either the State of AK or local taxes. If it is wholly or partially funded by public monies it is a public meeting. The other thing is to find out how much each school district whose school board is a member of the AASB has to pay annually for continued membership. Trust me, it is not cheap. It is also interesting to note that the AASB is not one of the 26 state school board associations who have so far come out against the infamous letter from the National School Board Association. Keep a very close eye on your local school boards and their budgeting processes, the AASB, the NSBA and the 900 lbs gorillas in the room: the NEA and AFT.
I’m an Alaskan Native and IMO any teaching even remotely resembling CRT is a distortion of facts.
In my observations and experience, many whites have oppressed minorities. Evidence is the “No Dogs or Natives Allowed” signs that used to be all over the place, and covenants in pre-60’s home mortgage contracts saying “Not to be resold to Natives”.
Many minorities have oppressed other minorities just as well. Minorities which were local majorities have oppressed whites. “Many” isn’t “All’ or even “Most”. Most whites didn’t approve of the KKK, or segregation by race. They may have went along to get along, because the racist minorities were dangerously militant about it.
Seems to be that people with “hate” agendas have a way of seeking each other out for support, and organize to gain some control over those they deem a threat to their own. As their support group grows, they become emboldened and more militant. Eventually they start believing their own rationalizations and that they’re justified in imposing their beliefs, their hatreds, upon everyone else. Eventually they project their beliefs, their hatreds, assuming that the rest of their “race” secretly thinks the same as they. That’s when they become an existential threat to our social contract, our constitution, and our nation.
CRT has become just that. An existential threat to the rule of law. The advocates of it have reached the point where they believe that the ends justify the means. They have even published “manifestos” stating that they will continue to teach CRT even if laws are passed to abolish it.
The only effective course of action is to solidly bring them to a screeching halt, by force of law, imposing accountability and penalties in proportion to the crime. Anything less will only put them on the back burner, until they once again regain lost ground.
Suzanne, kindly allow me to make a subtle correction.
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You wrote: “Equity means every persons gets to succeed, and assistance is given according to their perceived need, in order to level the playing field. It’s a socialistic concept rooted in Critical Race theory.”
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In 1875, Karl Marx coined the phrase, “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” Therefore, this concept is actually “rooted” in Marxism and merely “expressed” in Critical Race Theory…. which is, in itself, an expression of Marxism.
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Moreover, the fundamental problem with Marxism, is it fails to deal with the reality of human nature. Amercan history shows the early settlement, Jamestown, survived only on account of Captain John Smith abandoning communal farming in favor of individualized efforts.
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