White E Donation
Dear Editor: I am writing this letter to thank the White Elephant board and all community members who support the White Elephant. I recently, submitted a grant request for the 21st Century Community Learning Center and was able to receive funding to support two specific projects of ours.
As school district grant, we provide after-school services to students in the Sitka School District as four schools and provide both a free snack and transportation home following our academic enrichment programs. This funding allows us to continue to provide a ‘’free’’ nutritious snack at no cost to families. With a portion of these funds, we are also able to purchase some garden tools for the students at Pacific High. We have begun a garden project at the school, with plans to grow at least ‘‘some’’ of the food for their own school lunches.
The White Elephant Shop is unique to many ‘‘opp shops,’’ in that their ‘‘profit’’ is turned back to the community for wonderful uses. We are thankful for their many volunteers, the city’s support of the White E, to shoppers and to the many community members who contribute household goods and clothing for recycling.
Thanks, Sitka, the White Elephant Shop, and its Board of Directors.
Margaret Galanin
21 CCLC program Director/
Grant Coordinator,
Sitka School District
Islam in Schools
Dear Editor: I’ve delayed submitting this until I had a chance to gather some information and to learn some facts about the purported “promotion of Islam” abomination at Blatchley that had Mr. Ed Gray in such a snit last week (LTE, “Islam In Schools,” March 17, 2016).
Even before visiting Blatchley and speaking with staff members and Principal Ben White, I had my suspicions and doubts. I mean, like ... is this really some sort of Mohammadist marketing maneuver? Or, is it in fact actually just some sort of a middle school-level social studies curriculum-driven introduction to one part of world geography and history, on the one hand, and to one part of global cultural, social, political, economic, ethnic, and, yes, religious diversity, on the other?
Perhaps put together by the students of a teacher who remembers reading Huntington’s “Clash of Civilizations” back in graduate school, and was trying to help her students to begin to learn how to think about, and maybe even ultimately – albeit a bit down the road – begin to understand just exactly what this guy was blathering about. Or what-have-you.
On the other hand, I suppose that it is just as possibly reasonable to conclude that the whole thing is in fact part of a plot hatched by some sort of cell of undercover mullah/mujahadeen-wannabes, looking to make a name for themselves, right here in Sitka city. In any event, the bulletin board display in question had been taken down at the beginning of this week to make room for the next class project, so I personally never got to see, with mine very own eyes, the source of Mr. Gray’s outraged indignation.
Having said all that, I, first of all, have a serious complaint against his otherwise very articulate, intelligible, and obviously impassioned screed: he provides no context at all about, or even a basic description of, the object and objective of his scorn and attack. He explains nothing (nor provides even a hint) about: what exactly was on display in this alleged “promotion” of Islam; and/or how it was presented; and/or who presented it; and/or why they presented it; and/or, well, among several other things. Which is not altogether surprising, given that, according to the best recollection of Blatchley officials, Mr. Gray has neither visited the school to personally view the presentation in question, nor spoken with anyone on the staff about it.
Having said all of all of that, permit me, before concluding, to ask one question and to make one assertion. The question is: Would Mr. Gray object on the grounds of “Alaska Statue (sic) 14 03090” to a similar middle school project depicting “the theology of Jesus Christ crucified” (again, sic) as being “promotional?” Did the Blatchley display depict “the theology of the Prophet Muhammad and his midnight ride from Jerusalem?” Well, at this point, we just don’t know (but it is highly doubtful). But that does nothing to allay the hunch that Mr. Gray and those assembling to his charge would no more object to a “theology of Jesus” display at Blatchley than he and they would protest the introduction of “creationism” (or at least “intelligent design”) into public school biology classes.
The assertion is: I’ll bet a court case, if necessary, that, even sight unseen, whatever it was that was hanging up in Blatchley, it was NOT the (or even a) “promotion of Islam,” by whatever the legal (or even sales and marketing) definition of the term “promotion” is, that is operative and extant in the courts of this nation, state, borough, or city.
To conclude, I wish to express a deep-seated, gut- and heart-felt concern. It arises from the fortuitous-for-Mr. Gray juxtaposition of his LTE with the Sentinel’s same day back page stories regarding the U.S. government’s official determination and declaration that the “Islamic State Group” is “committing genocide against Christians and other minorities in Syria and Iraq,” on the one hand; and the conviction of an “IS conspirator” for his part in a botched action against an anti-Islam event (a cartoon festival, it is reported) last spring in Where Else, Texas, on the other. And since then, of course, there is Brussels.
The last thing Sitka needs to enfold itself in right now is an even mild outbreak of Islamophobia and its attendant, inevitable results. Particularly if it is but a convenient smokescreen for the promotion of other agendas, whether secular or sectarian. With the looming presidential, congressional, state, and local elections in November, America will be increasingly awash with it and with those results, and with those whose agendas for which it stands and serves. It would be a lot nicer and easier for everybody if Sitka could be a refuge from that sort of nonsense.
J.G. Moebus
Veterans Against War, Sitka Platoon
AMP Testing
Dear Editor: The Sitka School District is about to begin AMP standardized testing. These are flawed, invalid tests that produce corrupt data and have already been scrapped by Alaska Department of Education.
It is documented some districts are reporting million dollar budgets to AMP test. Parents may and should opt their children out of these invalid tests. Some parents have reported Sitka Schools refusing to accept opt out forms. In refusing to accept AMP testing opt out forms the Sitka School District is violating a parent’s fundamental right to oversee the education and upbringing of their child. This is a recognized constitutional right over which the school district has no authority. The AMP administrator test booklet issued last year stated on page 112 that a parent could send a note, call the school, or email the school. It is recommended that parents refuse the test in a way that they can document.
Additionally, ESSA requires school districts and school administrators to inform parents of their right to opt out. ‘‘School districts must inform parents of their rights under state law or local policy to opt their children out of any assessments mandated by the act, by the state, or by the local school district. School districts must also make widely available information about all of the assessments that are conducted by the schools, including the subject matter assessed, the purpose of the assessment, what agency requires the assessment, how much time the assessment will take, and how the results will be disseminated.
The Sitka Parents Committee will hold a meeting for parents Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m. at the Sealing Cove Business Center, Room 107. Current information on ESSA, AMP and Opt Out will be discussed. Opt Out forms will be available.
Ed Gray, Sitka
Seek Alaska Items
Dear Editor: Good morning. My name is Aliah S. I am a fifth-grade student at Harlan Intermediate School in Iowa. My class is studying the geography and history of the United States Iam excited to learn about your state of Alaska. I would really appreciate it if you would send me a state map, postcards, information or souvenirs on your wonderful state.
My teacher, Mrs. Newlin, would like a car license plate, if possible, for a school project. I really appreciate your time and look forward to learning more about the best state ever, Alaska!
Aliah S.
Mrs. Newlin’s S.S. Class
Harlan Intermediate School
1401 19th St., Harlan, IA 51537
