On Tuesday, May 7, Alaska lawmakers will gather for a joint session of the State Senate and House to vote on whether to confirm more than 80 of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s appointees to fill key positions on state boards and commissions. Legislators will also decide on who should replace Lt. Gov. Nancy Dahlstrom, should she win her campaign against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola in November.
Among the dozens of appointees, those tapped to serve on the State Board of Education have drawn heightened interest, due to the fact that this body would be responsible for developing regulations to govern the state’s homeschool allotment program for the upcoming school year.
Lawmakers are currently considering legislation to preserve the popular program after a Superior Court judge ruled in favor of an NEA-led lawsuit that struck down two vital laws governing how the allotments work. While the lower court opinion has been appealed to the Alaska Supreme Court, the current ruling asserts that it is a violation of the State Constitution for homeschool families to use their correspondence allotments to help pay for classes and other learning opportunities provided by private or religious educational institutions and organizations.
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Dunleavy’s administration is adamant that those types of expenditures are well within the constitution, and the Board of Education will likely have considerable say in exactly how funds can be spent in the upcoming school year.
All three of Dunleavy’s education board appointees, Bob Griffin, Barbara Tyndall and Pamela Dupras have been reliable conservative votes on the board, when it comes to transgender athletes. Griffin has also advocated for the current homeschool allotment program, while Tyndall, of Fairbanks, is a strong homeschool ally with a long history of working in private Christian schools across the state.
If Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom defeats Rep. Peltola, Dunleavy has appointed Colonel Torrence Saxe, commander of the Alaska National Guard, to replace her if she resigns. In that event, Saxe would oversee the Alaska Division of Elections, which includes ensuring that elections are fair, accurate, secure and transparent to the public.
As Commander of Alaska Air National Guard, Saxe ensuring the training and equipping of over 2,300 Alaska citizen airmen in two flying wings. He provides airlift, rescue, aerial refueling, air control, and space warning and surveillance capabilities in support of state and federal missions worldwide.
TAKING ACTION
— Click here to view Gov. Dunleavy’s list of 81 appointees to fill various state boards and commissions.
— Click here to contact state senators, and here to contact state representatives.
— Click here to watch lawmakers vote on the appointees on May 7, at 11 a.m.
8 Comments
If Dahlstrom wins that seat, it will be by cheating.
Cheating is what they do best!
Dahlstrom needs to do the honorable thing and bow out now so we don’t have a repeat of the Narcissistic Palin giving us a do nothing Democrat Petola. We need someone in the House protecting all Alaskans rights and not voting over 90% of the time along party lines.
We just need to, get rid of rank choice voting and mail in ballots. Plus all the Republicans that voted for Peltola.
Never forget Kevin. Meyer and Mark Zuckerbergs Dominion machine and illegal cash unholy alliance
and the damage done to our State.
Public school funding for homeschooling should not be used for religious teachings.
Trolls should not be used in politics or any discussions…ever.
It is extremely important that Bob Griffin, Barbara Tyndall and Pamela Dupras must be reconfirmed for another 5 years on the State Board of Education. Note those senators and representatives who vote against these 3. They are held captive by the NEA-AK. They answer only to the teachers union and not parents.