An Anchorage teacher with a history of promoting radical leftist social agendas has been named as one of four finalists for the National Teacher of the Year award.
Catherine Walker, the 2024 Alaska Teacher of the Year, is a high school science and career and tech education teacher at Dimond High School. According to a press release from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) National Teacher of the Year Program, she is being celebrated for promoting “sustainability and stewardship of natural resources while encouraging students to build empathy and collaboration to solve problems in their community.”
The CCSSO award honors teachers by providing them with skills to help them “amplify their instructional practices as well as their voices and empowers them to take part in policy discussions at the state and national level.”
While Walker is being praised by Alaska’s mainstream media and local public officials as an accomplished educator, she uses her position to do much more than teach science and technology.
Walker also openly pushes the LGBTQ agenda among her students. Her classroom prominently features a large LGBTQ/Black Live Matter flag, and she proudly serves as the teacher-sponsor for the Dimond High School Gender-Sexuality Alliance club. According to the national GSA website, these groups serve as “vehicles for deep social change related to racial, gender, and educational justice” by connecting trans and queer students, affirming their various gender identities and establishing so-called “safe spaces” and activist campaigns to influence school policies.
Walker also leads student book club discussions in which she has guided teens through novels like “The Hate U Give.” This profanity-laced book follows the experience of a teenage girl who lives in the fictional inner-city neighborhood. On the surface, the novel highlights some of the realities of inner-city life, but one reviewer pointed out that it “presents a world in which black people and other minorities are oppressed at the hands of both white people and the police.”
“This oppressor/oppressed dichotomy is a major theme in the critical social theories, including Critical Race Theory (CRT), and it is a major theme in The Hate U Give … advanc[ing] a CRT–fueled mindset, one that looks to potentially violent activism as the solution for the ‘hate,’ or the oppression, forced on minorities by society.”
Outside the classroom, Walker’s Twitter (X) account is filled with reposted comments and articles that promote myriad leftist Alaska political candidates, climate alarmism, the LGBTQ agenda in schools and mass Covid vaccinations. She also rails against so-called “whiteness,” parental challenges to sexualized library books and people who fail to properly mask up or social distance.
If she wins Teacher of the Year this spring, CCSSO will work to amplify Walker’s influence and ability to federal policies and advance “equity.” The organization’s website claims that its National Teacher of the Year Program has been “the most prestigious teacher recognition program in the country for almost 70 years,” providing a platform for public school teachers to “elevate issues that affect teachers and their students, expand their leadership roles and inform policy and practice.”
Upon being notified that she was a finalist for this year’s award, Walker took the opportunity to plug more taxpayer funding for Alaska’s failing public schools.
“So, I feel like it’s a great opportunity to shine a light on that incredible work that’s being done with public schools in a time when public schools are struggling to get funding…” she said.
49 Comments
She promotes “sustainability and stewardship of natural resources while encouraging students to build empathy and collaboration to solve problems in their community.” Joel Davidson opposes this. Weird.
That was a simple neutral statement. Where does he state opposition? Further down he sheds more light on the various agendas pursued by Walker. . Throughout the article I see no direct words of either opposition or support, merely the reporting of facts. Albeit I personally am opposed to Walker pushing her politics upon students, that is not her job. She is using her authority to brainwash kids. I too was a science educator years ago. I taught science with no agenda attached. My students would have only known my politics if they asked me.
You are absolutely correct, Elizabeth. Most public teachers today are far-left activists instead of professional educators teaching the subjects. Sad.
Really not the point here.
You zre right. Republicans can’t stand empathy or collaboration. I certainly don’t get it. Actually I do, they goose step in order as their fearless leader demands.
Walker also openly pushes the LGBTQ agenda among her students. Her classroom prominently features a large LGBTQ/Black Live Matter flag, and she proudly serves as the teacher-sponsor for the Dimond High School Gender-Sexuality Alliance club.
Walker’s Twitter (X) account is filled with reposted comments and articles that promote
– myriad leftist Alaska political candidates,
– climate alarmism,
– the LGBTQ agenda in schools and
– mass Covid vaccinations.
She also rails against
– so-called “whiteness,”
= parental challenges to sexualized library books and
– people who fail to properly mask up or social distance.
Tell us how you really feel, Catherine. Guess you can post anything on your personal social media account without fear of loss of job, IF it coincides with the Anchorage School District agenda.
“If material posted for personal reasons interferes with an employee’s ability to perform his/her job, it may be subject to
disciplinary action up to and including termination. Employees will be held to the same professional standards in their public use of electronic media as they are for any other
public conduct. This includes private accounts that are publically viewable.” https://apps.asdk12.org/forms/uploads/SocialMediaGuidelines.pdf
I feel sorry for the Dimond High students taking any science, career & tech education class from her. More like National [Woke] Teacher of the Year finalist. More reason for you to home school your children than send them to an Anchorage School District “education” facility, paid for by your property tax dollars, over and over again.
Fish. Tired rehash of far right constipated grievances.
dumbed down wiggle wording that masks agendas with terminology
like “sustainable”, is just. plain. evil.
And people actually wonder why there are many tax payers that are opposed to increase funding for an under performing ASD that promotes BS like this ?? Was it Florida that recently banned the flying of Alphabet Soup and BLM flags in or on Public Buildings… Well our schools should be no different, Fly the Stars and Stripes and the AK State flag and nothing else.
She sounds absolutely wonderful and I bet her students think she is ia great teacher. A great teacher motivates students, doesn’t oppress them.
She is diluting them with BS.
She may be a good teacher, but foremost it appears she is abusing her position to manipulate and social engineer, promoting her own controversial agenda. I would say that makes her not worthy of teacher of the year. Certainly encouraging compassion in solving community problems is a good thing and commendable but promoting CRT, DIE, BLM – not. Nor does any of that relate to science education – her job. She is a purveyor of lies and I would say maybe educated, but blind.
Reminder catholics have touched more kids then any gay person.
you have no way of proving such a claim. however the fact pedophilia exists in the Church is a stark testimony for the need of MAJOR reforms. that said, love is love and perversion is perversion. the latter is the gay lifestyle.
“Reminder catholics have touched more kids then any gay person”, maybe, but by gay Catholic priests, which nullifies your argument.
Anyway, not a week goes by that I don’t read about some alphabet activist getting busted for pedophilia.
Steve you forget about all the little girls your oh so holy priests love to touch, the fact is the Catholic Church is the biggest pedophile organisation known to man
Steve you forget about all the little girls your oh so holy priests love to touch. Can’t blame the gays for that.
I hear GOP members getting busted for pedophilia, at least once a week.
What?? Explain why your comment is revelant to this article please.
UMM THEN THEY ARE GAY PERVERTS AND NOT TRUE CATHS…. COMMON SENSE…WOLVES…
Tell that to the little girls who are victims of the church.
How many of the Catholics who “touched children” were also gay? Comparative quantities like “more” or “less” cannot be determined when the catagories of “Catholics” and “gays” intersect. Especially on the issue of pedophilia, which infects ALL demographics of human beings, not just “Catholics” and “Gays”. Even if there were data of pedophilia within each demographic, comparative quanties are an impossibilty as intersections of each possible category are infinite and ever changing. That was the long version of saying “you’re talking out of your axx, Ted”. Your assertion is irrelevant to the article; a defensive posture redirecting blame in response to an allegation that was not made here. Your ungrounded bias, unnecessary defensive posture and deflection is very telling.
Bolwinkle. Are afraid of gays?
Dunleavy’s definition of prolife: there are no cranes in Alaska!!!!!
Don’t you just hate people who are for “racial, gender, and educational justice?”
Plus, some anonymous reviewer pointed out that it “presents a world in which black people and other minorities are oppressed.. “.
Maybe this teacher should be charged with some kind of crime!!!
I know it truly is horrible isn’t it. Next she might say she believes in “equality” ugh just thinking of that word sends shivers down my spine. Truly evil stuff.
I wonder how many people there are like me who follow this blog for laughs.
Mike, you might be part of the problem that is causing this nation to fall into the hands of communism, marxism, socialism. 40-50 years ago, I would have been laughing about this because it does sound so idiotic. But, now this world has been turned upside down and good is bad and bad is good and it is not funny.
Fos you call anything you disagree with communism, marxism, and socialism. The fact that you combine all three as being one in the same is telling of how they’re nothing but buzzwords to you. I’d be suprised at this point if you didn’t label gay people a communist plot to undermine western society.
No, I wouldn’t label gay people anything. I have some gay friends also. I feel for them that they are confused, but they are nice people. Now, you on the other hand…you are a Pos troll that is using the editor’s name on this site (and other sites?), nothing but a troll.
Fos you claim you wouldn’t label gay people anything. Yet you go on in the next sentences to label them as “confused”. You don’t have gay friends, because you aren’t a friend to gay people. You claim to know more about their own personal life and what is right or wrong for them then they do. Let your gay friends know your true beliefs on the matter, that you view them as a walking perversion to god, that you consider them immoral, and that you would be happier if they were straight. Until then you’re simply lying to yourself when you say you’re a friend.
Jxxx, saying that someone is confused is not labeling them. As I stated previously, …you on the other hand…you are a troll that is using the editor’s name on this site (and other sites?), nothing but a troll.
Just teach Science and technology please. Nobody is asking for social engineering. Or moral engineering. Beware especially of those teaching moral engineering…that is crossing a line. It’s similar to cultists who appoint themselves as “prophets” or “God’s chosen”. And we know how that ends.
Agree. Social engineering to create a new identity does not work. It destroys our youth and Judeo-Christian values.
You speak of brainwashing in the same way that you’re doing with this article. It’s people like you and “journalism“ like this that make teens commit suicide. People like Cat, however, give teens hope for a world where they are seen, affirmed, and loved for exactly who they are. Sleep well tonight, Joel Davidson.
“Cat?” Well, aren’t you friendly with the demon’s bullhorn.
Demons aren’t real, nor are ghosts, Santa, magic people in the sky, or any other nonsense of that sort.
Okay Lucy.
Seems Fos really is off his meds, he’s calling me Lucy now lol.
Whatever you say Lucy.
Lovely. Yet more reasons to home school your kids. You get whatever you allow, and this crap is the result.
It is an educators job to put ideas into the heads of the children they are to be teaching. Ask yourself if you’d want this particular educator putting ideas into your child’s head.
Parents
If at all possible, keep your children out of public schools.
Your children are your responsibility
Sterling crone: for some reason the word “sustainable” pisses you off. I don’t know why. Ever had a garden with plants returning each year? Ever have a job that pays the bills so you can live your life as you please? That is sustainability. You’ve latched on the the black and white buzzword movement. If you had critical thinking skills, you could do better.
Clown world.
There’s a good article in the Feb 4 ADN about this exceptional teacher. She’s motivating her students, they are succeeding, they love her.
Contrast this former educator, and the great work he’s doing. Who has the best interests of children in mind? https://www.worldtribune.com/schools-as-epstein-islands-former-history-teacher-goes-scorched-earth-against-indoctrination/
Wow! She sounds like a great teacher! She teaches her kids science, empathy and inclusion. An excellent influence for making Alaska a better place. I hope she wins the award. I especially love the part of your criticism where you imply the only acceptable book about the inner-city is one where the blacks are oppressing the whites and the police. Because art imitating life is apparently brain-washing, according to you. The only thing that would do is make it MORE obvious to the students what happens in real life. That would be like complaining a book about Civil War era America features whites owning slaves, and being mad that kids learned it.
The more money we spend on education the lower the results get. Could there be another reason for these poor results? I believe it’s all of these “wonderful teachers”. And it’s deliberate. Just look at Alaska student test scores, we’re third from the bottom nationally. That makes me ashamed to be Alaskan. Alaska, the loser state. Not one damn thing to proud of here anymore. “We don’t care how you do it outside”, Let them freeze in the dark”, and on and on, and on. Right on down to the bottom. Alaska, the state of stupid.