School funding — darned if you do — darned if you don't

Spectrum

I have two students that have attended the Mat-Su school system since 1989. Teachers' class time is being shortened due to the cutbacks in school money, and because their time is being used for special non-essential programs. Remember, class time should take first priority.

Elementary school students haven't had math, science, social studies or English books to bring home. They are allowed to read in the classroom but not to bring them home. This has also taken a toll on the students as they have been placed in groups with one book to all be responsible for each other, never having the chance to raise to their own potential. Not mentioning the hardships of having to take responsibility for their fellow classmates in the learning process. The teachers are passing the teaching process to some of their students to enact!

The lack of basic academic materials has resulted in several detrimental situations; teachers do not have their teaching manual for each course, which contain alternate teaching methods if the class doesn't "get it the first time." Teachers do not have the luxury of aides in the classroom and by middle school and high school less than 1 percent of the parents show up to assist.

Students and parents are not allowed the extra time at home to review and prepare for lack of materials. We need our books and teacher's manuals and workbooks please!

The onerous result is the poor teachers make up their own course and make copies! These are non-approved versions being taught to our students. Our approved Mat-Su Borough School District curriculum is very good. Allowing anyone to deviate from that lends to lack of knowledge as a foundation for the later years.

Students are guinea pigs. Lastly, the use of grade level supply monies for other projects takes a heavy toll on the quality of education. Our students shouldn't have to be enrolled in an advanced learning program just to get the basic essential classes offered to them.

Our Mat-Su students are turned down for enrollment in these classes due to the preference of their fellow students. Mat-Su Valley should be aware that monies are not fully given even when authorized by the borough. It is a sophisticated game that does have consequences in our schools. I remember the quote at a PTA meeting: "I envision these children when they're older with a rock in their hand in front of my store, then I hope that they could remember that all the tax payers in the Valley helped to get them an education and thus drop the rock and instead come in and apply for a job."

Our whole Valley has a stake in education. We all are very much affected by the lack thereof. I feel I have the right to have said this in public due to the fact that I worked with Alaska PTA, Mat-Su Council of PTA, local school PTAs and spent three years once in tracking and giving testimony to our Alaska legislators on the bill for new standards passed for high school graduation — only for it to be recently lowered!

I love the Mat-Su school district, staff in the schools and my fellow families working with their students to get through an inadequate system. I can see that the changes have to come from public awareness to see that school and borough administrators simplify and control the state of the academics in the classrooms.

Talk to your local schools, they are all aware of these issues but overwhelmed and feel the Valley doesn't put much stock in what they have been facing for years.

Gail Wilson-Phillips is a Valley resident.