With more than 65% of its students unable to do basic reading, writing and math, one might think a little healthy competition between schools and teachers would do the failing Juneau School District some good.
That’s not at all how local educational bureaucrats see it. In fact, the Juneau School Board is slated to take up a resolution at its March 10 meeting that categorically condemns a popular community competition in which area residents are voting on their favorite schools and teachers.
Organized by Alaska First Media (a regional radio broadcasting company in Southeast), the “Best of Juneau” is an annual survey to identify the best restaurants, shops, services and individuals across dozens of categories. For the first time, this year’s competition asks residents to nominate and vote on their top school and teacher.
The competitive nature of the contest has rubbed some teachers and staff the wrong way, and they want the school board to step in and denounce the whole competition as fundamentally contrary to the district’s DEI philosophy of equity and inclusion for all.
According to a memo justifying the resolution, the district wasn’t consulted before the creation of the “best teacher” and “best school” categories and it does not endorse participation in the contest.
“Several staff members and community members have expressed concern that ranking or singling out individual schools or teachers conflicts with the District’s core values of equity, collaboration, and collective responsibility for student success,” the memo states.
Since the survey organizers are unwilling to drop the categories, the memo suggests that the school board publicly denounce the contest due to the “district’s commitment to equity and ensuring all students, schools, and staff are valued equally.”
The memo expresses concern about how “competitive comparisons among public schools and educators” might affect “staff morale and school community cohesion.”
To resolve this perceived crisis, the memo recommends adopting a resolution that “affirms the board’s commitment to equity, collaboration, and support for all schools and educators across the District,” and then sharing the resolution publicly.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
“District administration will also communicate internally to clarify that the District does not sponsor or endorse the survey categories,” the memo concludes.
Despite the district’s well-documented failures to impart basic academic skills to students, the proposed resolution states that the Juneau School Board “believes all schools within the Juneau School District provide each student with meaningful, relevant, and rigorous learning experiences,” and that all educational staff carry out their jobs with “expertise and care for Juneau’s students.” For these reasons, the board “does not endorse the 2026 Best of Juneau categories for ‘Schools’ and ‘Teachers,’” the resolution concludes.
The resolution reflects classic DEI philosophy, which deemphasizes competition and winning, in favor of flattening out differences so that everyone attains equal outcomes.
For decades, however, the Juneau School District’s outcomes have resulted in a failure to ensure that most students can read, write or do basic math.
TAKING ACTION
— The Juneau School Board’s next regular meeting is March 10, 6 p.m., at Thunder Mountain Middle School Library. Residents can attend in person, or follow on Zoom at this link.
— To send an email to all the school board members, use this address: schoolboard@juneauschools.org
— For additional information about how to participate in the March 10 school board meeting, contact Jessica Richmond at jessica.richmond@juneauschools.org or 907-523-1702.
