Dedicated leadership can make Alaska’s schools exemplary, but governor is failing

By Diane DeSloover

I came to Juneau in 1977 when Jay Hammond was governor. In those days you could be a nobody volunteer from out of state, like me, and invite the governor and his wife to dinner — and they would come! Now it’s rare for our current governor to set foot in the capital city.  

When I began teaching in the Juneau Public School system in the 1990s it was competitive to get a teaching job, schools were thriving, and teachers appreciated and respected. There was impressive professional development for teachers, strong special education support in classrooms and close-knit collaboration among staff members.

Retired from teaching now, I grieve for all the changes that underfunding public education has brought. My friends who are still teaching are overwhelmed by large class sizes, inadequate special education support for increasing numbers of students with IEPs, and paychecks that don’t value how hard they work. Many teachers have left Alaska and teaching slots are being given to unqualified people with provisional certification in order to fill all of the vacant positions. 

Yet Gov. Dunleavy continues to prioritize charter schools at the expense of neighborhood public schools that provide equal access to education for all. He has continually vetoed legislative attempts to increase school spending. Now when state lawmakers have voted again to raise student funding, Dunleavy has vetoed it. He has called a special session asking certain members not to attend so he can control the outcome of that session. Ironically, this governor, with a master's degree in education from UAF and experience as a teacher, principal and administrator, has done nothing to improve public education in Alaska. Just the opposite, Alaskan schools have suffered greatly since Dunleavy took office. Teachers are burning out, school doors are closing, classrooms are bulging and he continues to deny funding or do anything to improve public education.

I have a daughter and son-in-law who teach in Juneau Public Schools and five grandchildren who attend such schools. I hurt knowing that they are not getting what they deserve in this wealthy state. The teachers I know are trying very hard to respond to the diverse population of students they teach with ever-dwindling support. Gov. Dunleavy, instead of just complaining about our schools, do your job, show leadership! Appoint a task force to spend time in today’s classrooms, talk to teachers, families and administrators. Find out what is truly happening and then show us that your administration works for Alaska’s children. Invest in schools and commit to helping them. There is no greater asset we can give our children than a solid education. With dedicated leadership, the state of Alaska can have an exemplary public education system.

• Diane DeSloover has lived in Juneau for 48 years.  She has taught in the Juneau School District and worked in the Alaska Department of Law. She and her husband, Paul, have raised their three children in Juneau and enjoy having all of them still living here with their five grandchildren.