A Bittersweet Victory for Education – Maybe?
Lon Garrison, AASB Executive Director
I express my heartfelt thanks to the House of Representatives for their recent vote in support of education. While we celebrate this accomplishment, it is bittersweet considering that we found ourselves in a similar position just nine months ago, and once again fell short of securing the essential support Alaska’s public education truly requires.
On Thursday evening, February 22nd, 2024, after nearly two weeks of intense negotiations and disappointing floor votes, the Alaska House of Representatives agreed to a $680 increase in the Base Student Allocation. Although we acknowledge the efforts of the House members, it’s crucial to remember that this identical increase was approved in the spring of 2023. Our initial goal for this session was a $1,413 BSA increase, representing a 52 percent enhancement over the approved amount.
As Robert Kennedy, Jr. aptly noted, “Democracy is messy, and it’s hard. It’s never easy.” Advocating for Alaska’s public education system has certainly been challenging. Recalling my term on the Sitka School Board from 2007 to 2015, and through to today, not a year has passed without advocating for increased funding and support for our schools, akin to the enduring struggle of Sisyphus. Accessible to all students in Alaska, public education is the optimal investment in our future prosperity and the bedrock of our democracy, echoing Franklin D. Roosevelt’s words: “Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”
While a wealth of reasons and data support our cause, it is unnecessary to delve into them here as they are widely known. Instead, let’s focus on the bigger picture. I encourage school districts and their boards to embrace the hope found in the $680 increase. In a recent session with former State Senator Begich, we discussed the importance of being solution-oriented and considering the broader perspective. As locally elected leaders, it’s crucial not to lose sight of the forest for the trees and guide others in governance to choose wisely.
In conclusion, this week’s achievement in the House is bittersweet for many of us. We oscillate between gratitude for the nearly unanimous support for education funding on February 22nd and frustration over the state’s lack of a long-term commitment to invest in itself through its students.
I leave you with the powerful words of former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, “Education is a human right with immense power to transform. On its foundation rest the cornerstones of freedom, democracy, and sustainable human development.”
Most respectfully,
Lon Garrison
AASB Executive Director