A group of deeply concerned parents and citizens showed up to the Oct. 7 Anchorage School Board meeting to demand accountability for two teachers who they say have engaged in hateful and threatening rhetoric regarding President Trump and the late Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who was fatally shot during a campus speaking event last month.

The teachers in question are special education teacher Roz’lyn Grady-Wyche, and Clark Middle School’s 8^th grade art teacher Heather Doncaster.

An online petition objecting to these educators’ conduct has generated more than 400 signatures calling for accountability. The petition points out that Grady-Wyche has publicly maligned the school district as a “breeding ground for white supremacy” because 87% of employed teachers are white. She also posted social media comments suggesting Charlie Kirk’s death was the product of his own “divisive ideology.”

Likewise, teacher Doncaster – who moonlights as a drag dancer – has posted images of herself in full drag, holding profane signs directed at Trump, along with statements that were seen by many as thinly veiled threats to the president’s life during his visit to Alaska this summer.

It’s no easy task to face this, but trust has been lost on a very large scale.

After listening to a litany of disgruntled teachers complain about the dismal state of public schools, while demanding more money, increased benefits and lighter workloads, the board heard from five citizens regarding the controversial teachers.

Concerned parent Dawn Bockelman said the online petition calling for the teachers to be held accountable was going to be forwarded to both the state and federal education departments.

She then asked the board to conduct a thorough, independent investigation, including a public report that details any actions taken, including disciplinary measures for the teachers.

“This is uncomfortable, I know,” Bockelman told the board. “There are people in question that have very openly and publicly supported most of you on this board. It’s no easy task to face this, but trust has been lost on a very large scale, and I’m asking you to consider the points made here and do the right thing for our children, for their families and for their community.”

Another mother of two boys echoed these sentiments, saying she was troubled by the teachers’ behavior.

“One educator seemed to praise the passing of Charlie Kirk, founder of turning point USA,” Sherry Strizak said. “Mothers and fathers must defend our children from hateful comments made by those educators who have been entrusted with shaping the mind of our most precious gifts – our children.”

She added that Anchorage schools “do not need teachers of staff in educational facilities to promote violence against anyone.”

Theo Ransom, who described himself as a “BIPOC educator,” called for a formal investigation.

“We cannot expect integrity from students if adults are not held to the same standard,” he noted.

Longtime education reform advocate David Boyle said the two teachers have “denigrated the district and other teachers with their outrageous social media comments,” and suggested that the current controversy is part of an endemic and growing phenomenon.

Holding aloft the book, “The Naked Communist,” Boyle pointed out that it details the communist strategy to foment division between races, ethnicities and religious groups to “divide us against each other.”

He then cited specific communist aims, as described in the book that was first published in 1958. These goals include discrediting the FBI, gaining control of unions, reducing powers of police, softening school curriculum, using student riots to provoke unrest, gaining control of schools, eliminating all laws governing obscenity, disparaging the U.S. Constitution as out of date, rewriting American history and creating the impression that violence is a legitimate tool for social reform.

Gabby Ide, chair of Moms for Liberty Anchorage, echoed the idea that the teachers’ behavior is part of a systemic problem.

“As a mother, I entrust my children to educators who are expected to be role models,” she said. “When that trust is broken through public displays it can intimidate students, alienate families or expose young minds to partisan extremism it impacts every classroom and home in Anchorage.”

Towards the end of the meeting, the school board members had a chance to share their personal thoughts about the meeting. Not a single member spoke about the comments made regarding the two teachers.

Instead, their statements focused on the need to demand more money for public schools, even if that means instituting new taxes.

Board Member Andy Holleman even blamed state homeschool allotment funding for draining money from traditional brick and mortar public schools.

TAKING ACTION

— Click here to read the online petition.

— Click here to contact Anchorage School Board members.

Click here to support the Alaska Watchman.