Letters to the Editor

Letter: Parnell is bad for state's future

As a concerned parent and dedicated educator I encourage Alaskans to critically examine Gov. Sean Parnell's record on education funding and policy. How can people sit by quietly as the state fails to fulfill it's responsibility to our children and to Alaska's future?

High crude oil prices in recent years have provided a huge influx of state funds, yet our schools suffer neglect, and educators are treated as parasites. In the four years during which our governor and his political cohorts in the Legislature have refused to increase funding for my child's education, there has been 9 percent inflation. In reality we are spending 9 percent less per kid: in Alaska Bush communities that is devastating. Even ASD is gutting it's most basic classroom and student support networks. Yet the governor expects us to improve graduation rates by 20 percent in a time of declining funding? Needed to pay more attention in his economics class.

Parents, raise your voice against this wholesale attack on public education with letters to legislators, and then vote these people out of office.

— Marty Decker

Anchorage

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