In a remarkable display of civic engagement, students across Alaska walked out of their classrooms on Thursday, protesting against the Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy's veto of a comprehensive education bill and the state legislature's failure to override it. The walkout, organized by the executive board of the Alaska Association of Student Governments, saw students from Ketchikan to Utqiagvik voicing their concerns over the future of education in the state.
The vetoed bill, passed by lawmakers in March, called for a $175 million increase in aid to school districts through a funding formula. However, Governor Dunleavy, expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of provisions he supported, vetoed the bill. His proposed provisions included a three-year program offering annual bonuses of up to $15,000 to attract and retain teachers and changes to the application process for charter schools.
"We've tried to be heard, we've tried to be listened to and we’ve been ignored, and that's why we’ve gotten to this point," said Felix Myers, a student organizer from Sitka, who also serves as a student adviser to the state board of education. The walkout was planned to last 40 minutes, symbolizing the number of votes needed by lawmakers to override the veto. The lawmakers fell one vote short in their override attempt last month.
The students' protest was not limited to the walkout. In Juneau, students from Juneau-Douglas High School marched approximately a mile to the state Capitol, chanting slogans such as "fund our future." They held handmade signs and made their presence felt in the Capitol halls, even though Governor Dunleavy was not present in Juneau on Thursday.
The students' actions were not without support from some legislators. Several lawmakers who voted for the education package but against overturning Dunleavy's veto welcomed their questions. Republican Rep. Julie Coulombe, for instance, encouraged the students to stay involved, stating, "Don't lose hope, this is a messy process."
The students' protest was a clear message to the state's lawmakers about the importance they place on their education. As Rachel Wood, a student who marched to the Capitol, put it, the event showed her that young people can play an active part in what happens at the Legislature. She and her fellow students hope that lawmakers who expressed support for education back that up by passing increased funding.
More for you:
