Opinion: Schools and strength in challenging times

American citizens, educated in our public schools, built the machines and weapons that ended World War I in support of free nations, saved the world from the threat of Nazism in World War II, won the Space Race, and led the way in creating the largest, most innovative economy in the world through the Information Age and beyond. As a veteran and an educator, I believe wholeheartedly that these great feats would not have been possible without a strong system of public education capable of creating an informed citizenry to protect our democratic institutions.

Today, America faces a wide range of related threats: hostile nations like Russia and China, a shrinking industrial base that leaves us vulnerable to aggression, a shattered middle class, and an atomized population whose divisions are sown and salted by our enemies. However, perhaps our greatest threat is the intentional undermining of our public education system.

This puts Alaska on the front line in protecting democracy. We have watched with grave concern as years of state funding cuts and the blatant attacks on the Dept. of Education by the Trump administration combine to hollow out our schools. We must stand in defense of the institution of public schools, which is so deeply connected to American success and reject the deeply unpatriotic rhetoric of Outside dark money groups who seek to undermine and privatize our school system and sell it for parts to billionaire backers.

Parents and educators from across Alaska are leading the charge to protect all types of public education in our state. From homeschool, to charter schools, to the brick and mortar schools that are the heart of many communities, the Base Student Allocation is the tide that lifts all boats. Most legislators have risen to the challenge and are standing up to Governor Dunleavy, who seeks to follow the president’s playbook of dismantling our constitutionally guaranteed system of public education.

We know that America faces serious threats over the coming decades, and we must be unified in our defense of democracy and the institutions that make us stronger, public schools being perhaps the most critical to our future success.

Call or write your legislators today to make sure they are supporting the override of the Governor’s short-sighted, harmful veto of public school funding.

Tom Klaameyer is a retired educator who previously served as the President of NEA-Alaska.