Mailbag: The Phrase "I Trust ASD" is Misguided

Last year I spent a large portion of my time talking to ASD staff. This was during a time when certain school board members and Dr. Bishop were working overtime to cram everyone back into classrooms as our COVID-19 cases were steadily climbing. In all of my discussions with parents and ASD staff it became abundantly clear, to me at least, and in my opinion, that the district was working to bend the CDC guidelines to their will in an effort to further what many saw as an agenda.

The initial COVID-19 mitigation strategies outlined by the district last year, were laughable and sought to paint a rosy picture for media outlets and parents. Thankfully, parents paid attention — many emailed and testified in front of the school board. Dr. Bishop was handed a way out of the public relations disaster that was steadily unfolding, but the "out" came as a result of an increased number of hospitalizations being seen within the Municipality. Sad to say that the district wasn't concerned about the potential impact COVID-19 might have had on staff last year and I find it unlikely that they're concerned about educators having to hold their bladders for hours without a scheduled bathroom break.

I suspect that school board members Elisa Vakalis and Alisha Hilde expect educators to purchase Depends undergarments for the school year — at their own expense of course. If you email the Anchorage Assembly about your concerns, don't believe for one moment that you have an ally in Eagle River Assemblywoman Jamie Allard who was far from sympathetic to the plight of hard-working school district staff last year.

Educators are beloved by many parents and children but not so much by the current school board composition which has largely dismissed the concerns of those entrusted with the education of those same children. Hopefully for ASD staff and families, voters will elect school board candidates in April who aren't loyalists to the current school superintendent. In the meantime: