In what conservative Alaska legislators characterized as an open “political attack” against one of the strongest champions for homeschool, charter and correspondence education, 11 Republican lawmakers joined all Democrats in the Alaska Legislature to reject Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s reappointment of Bob Griffin to the State Board of Education.

In the wake of Alaska’s disastrous academic performance over the past couple of decades, Griffin has been one of the most outspoken and tireless advocates for Alaska’s popular and rapidly growing correspondence and homeschool programs, as well as an avid supporter of parent-controlled charter schools.

He has become a target of Democrats, teacher union leaders and liberal educational activists, however, for voting to protect girls’ sports from males who claim to be women, while supporting the state’s practice of reimbursing homeschool and correspondence families for classes and instructional opportunities at private and religious educational institutions.

By removing Griffin, these lawmakers insured that he would not have a voice in crafting regulations to support state-funded correspondence programs.

During his May 7 confirmation vote before a joint session of the Alaska Legislature, hardline leftist lawmakers maligned Griffin’s character by leveling a litany of unsubstantiated, vague and openly partisan attacks on his performance as a State Education Board member over the past five years.

The Republicans who assisted Democrats in removing Griffin included Representatives Stanley Wright of Anchorage, Jesse Sumner of Wasilla, Will Stapp of Fairbanks, Louise Stutes of Kodiak and Julie Coulombe of Anchorage. GOP Senators who voted to oust Griffin were Gary Stevens of Kodiak, Click Bishop of Fairbanks, Jesse Bjorkman of Nikiski, Bert Stedman of Sitka, Kelly Merrick of Eagle River, and Cathy Giessel of Anchorage.

By removing Griffin, these lawmakers insured that he would not have a voice in crafting regulations to support state-funded correspondence programs, a task the Education Board will likely undertake this summer in an effort to protect homeschool allotments in the wake of a recent lower-court opinion that claims it is unconstitutional to spend public money to reimburse parents for the cost of having their children access educational opportunities provided by private or religious organizations.

During debate over Griffin’s reappointment, Rep. Loki Tobin (D-Anchorage) falsely accused Griffin of attempting to misrepresent himself as a member of the Department of Education during a recent public meeting. She also claimed he was out of line for supporting the state’s practice of reimbursing homeschool families for opportunities provided by private and religious organizations, and said he should not have used his professional expertise to put together presentations advocating for his educational positions. Offering no examples, she also claimed he “misrepresented” data and violated the public trust by urging lawmakers to support Gov. Dunleavy’s decision earlier this year to veto a massive increase to per-student funding unless it also included meaningful educational reforms.

Tobin’s litany of complaints included claims that Griffin did not favor mandatory testing of correspondence students and didn’t support safe schools because he voted against expensive and controversial public school maintenance projects while serving on the education board. Lastly, Tobin blamed Griffin for failing to ensure proper implementation of the Alaska Reads Act, which was passed by lawmakers last year in an attempt to address the state’s dismal reading scores.

“I’m sorry he has angered some folks with his opinions,” he said, adding that Griffin’s data is “irrefutable.”

Sen. Shelley Hughes responded to Tobin’s attacks on Griffin with an impassioned defense.

She clarified that Griffin actually did support increased per-student spending, but not without meaningful reforms and accountability. She also pointed out that Griffin never falsely represented himself as a member of the Department of Education. The fact that the minutes of the meeting in question listed him as such was a “mistake in the minutes,” not anything Griffin did.

She also challenged Tobin’s assertion that Griffin should be removed for voting against a costly school improvement proposal.

“It seemed to imply that if you’re on the State School Board, you’re obligated to vote ‘yes’ if you really support students and you’re doing your duty,” Hughes said. “If the person doesn’t have an option to vote ‘no,’ why is the capital improvement list put before the state board?”

Hughes said Griffin voted against the capital improvement list because it included $102 million for a single school that served 170 students.

“That’s why he voted no … at some point we have to look at what it is costing for some of these schools, and we need to downscale,” she said.

“Perhaps he’ll be one victim to our cancel culture that doesn’t like opposition, especially when it’s effective. If we don’t like data, we call it misinformation.”

Hughes then challenged Tobin’s assertion that Griffin wasn’t “following the constitution” by differing with a recent Superior Court judge’s opinion that reimbursing homeschoolers for expenses from private or religious educational institutions was unconstitutional, a ruling that is currently being challenged by the state with an appeal to the Alaska Supreme Court.

Hughes argued Griffin had every right to simply disagree with the opinion of a lower-court judge in a case that is still being played out in the courts.

Rep. David Eastman (R-Wasilla) Eastman also rose in Griffin’s defense, praising him as an “outspoken advocate for correspondence programs,” and warning his colleagues that rejecting Griffin’s nomination for political reasons would have a chilling effect on the free speech of any Alaskan who serves on a state board.

“It is clear to me that there is a political attack against this appointee,” he said. “There is nothing unethical about a member of the board having a position on those policies.”

Rep. Maxine Dibert (D-Fairbanks), however, suggested Griffin should keep silent on his views, and blamed him for writing opinion pieces for Alaska media outlets, even though he clearly stated that these were his own opinions, not those of the state board.

“I question the need for him to push his own agenda,” Dibert said. “While it may not be unethical, his opinion pieces appear to be disingenuous to the positions he is holding.”

Rep. Kevin McCabe (R-Big Lake) responded.

“I’m sorry he has angered some folks with his opinions,” he said, adding that Griffin’s data is “irrefutable.”

“I think we make a mistake when we try to remove opposing views from a board such as this,” McCabe added. “We should be celebrating opposing views. We have to have a balanced board.”

Rep. Ben Carpenter (R-Nikiski) was perhaps the most blunt in his defense of Griffin.

“I think we’ve heard a half-truths and one-sided opinions, maybe a few red herrings thrown out in order to discredit a volunteer, an Alaskan whose very hard working, highly intelligent, successful, passionate about improving Alaska’s education system, who’s clearly opposed by the education lobby,” he told his colleagues. “Perhaps he’ll be one victim to our cancel culture that doesn’t like opposition, especially when it’s effective. If we don’t like data, we call it misinformation.”

Carpenters comments clearly stirred the ire of Rep. C.J. McCormick (D-Bethel) who was caught on video scowling at Carpenter during his address.

Most of Dunleavy’s other 80 appointees to boards and commissions were approved, including education board members Barbara Tyndall and Pamela Dupras who have been reliable conservative votes. Lawmakers also approved Colonel Torrence Saxe, commander of the Alaska National Guard, to be Lt. Gov. Dahlstrom’s successor if defeats U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola in November and then resigns from her current office.

TAKING ACTION

Below is the contact information for the 11 Republican lawmakers who voted against Bob Griffin’s reappointment to the State Board of Education.

— Rep. Jesse Sumner of Wasilla

— Rep. Stanley Wright of Anchorage

— Rep. Will Stapp of Fairbanks

— Rep. Louise Stutes of Kodiak

— Rep. Julie Coulombe of Anchorage

— Sen. Jesse Bjorkman of Nikiski

— Sen. Bert Stedman of Sitka

— Sen. Kelly Merrick of Eagle River

— Sen. Gary Stevens of Kodiak

— Sen. Click Bishop of Fairbanks

— Sen. Cathy Giessel of Anchorage

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