The Anchorage School Board stopped just short Monday night of taking an official stand against a ballot measure that would make marijuana legal in Alaska, instead choosing to "reaffirm" its longstanding drug-free schools policy.
The board passed a "resolution reaffirming ASD's commitment to promoting drug-free schools" at Monday's school board meeting by a vote of 7-0.
The resolution says the "board intends to keep district schools free of alcohol and other drugs."
Members of the main group that opposes legalizing marijuana had attended an Aug. 18 board meeting and asked members to take a public stance against the initiative, which would make pot legal for recreational use in Alaska. Anti-legalization campaigners have said it would make marijuana more available to teenagers and children, while pro-legalization groups say a legal, regulated market would help keep marijuana away from them.
Board members debated whether they, as elected officials, should take a public position on the ballot initiative, said President Eric Croft.
They decided not to do so directly.
"But we do think marijuana, alcohol and other drugs are bad for young minds," Croft said.
As for the resolution, which does not mention the ballot initiative by name, "the two campaigns can use that however they want," he said.
The Anchorage Assembly in September voted 9-2 to pass a resolution opposing the marijuana ballot measure.
Two of the dissenting Assembly members, Pete Petersen and Patrick Flynn, said they didn't believe the Assembly should take a stance on ballot initiatives.