LEADERSHIP & ADVOCACY

Free Speech, Dignity, and the Board

Lon Garrison, AASB Executive Director

These recent months have underscored both national and local issues related to free speech, dignity, and the hurdles faced by school boards across the country. These incidents prompted me to reflect on AASB's efforts this year regarding these matters. Not since the era of Senator Eugene McCarthy has there been such unprecedented pressure on defining free speech, accompanied by a rise in disrespect from those who disagree with us. It has led me to reflect on free speech and dignity as local school boards navigate these complex aspects of the American experience.

In February 2025, AASB hosted a day of discussions focused on civil discourse and our First Amendment right to free speech. We delved deeply into the topic of Free Speech in Schools, with presentations from NEA-Alaska, the Independence Law Center (a conservative-oriented organization based in Pennsylvania), and the ACLU. A dignified but forthright panel discussion, led by former senator Tom Begich, followed. We came away with the understanding that the tension that comes with opposing views is actually what the First Amendment is all about.

BOARD DEVELOPMENT

The 2025 Resolutions Process

Tiffany Jackson, Director of Membership Services

The school year has started, and the AASB annual conference is just around the corner. This should mean that your school district has started preparing for the AASB Resolution process which will culminate in November. A question we hear all the time is, why is the Resolution process so important? The Where We Stand document is really long, and it takes some serious time for our school board to review and make recommendations.

The work you do on resolutions is critical to the work of AASB. 

AASB will not take a position on any item that the membership of the association hasn’t resolved itself around. The resolutions the membership passes in November will be used to set the legislative agenda for AASB for the upcoming year. These resolutions will be distributed to the Governor, the Legislature, the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development, the US Department of Education, and to many others. These resolutions will set the tone for the Association, which is why we call the document “Where We Stand”; it reflects what is important to school boards.

Where are we right now? 

CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING

Sustainability through Partnership – Our Language Summit

Lisa X’unyéil Worl, Partnerships Coordinator

School districts across Alaska are working to improve student outcomes by integrating local culture, language, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) into their curriculum. From Barrow to Hydaburg, schools are partnering with tribal organizations to create educational resources that support language revitalization for both students and families.

In 2018, the Association of Alaska School Boards asked six communities in Southeast Alaska about their priorities around culturally responsive education. Every community identified language revitalization as a key goal for their children and community.

AASB’s Conditions for Learning team has supported language revitalization work across Southeast Alaska by bringing together language teachers, supporting them to share resources and best practices and connect over shared vision for language revitalization.

CONDITIONS FOR LEARNING

Is your school district missing a key ingredient?

Emily Ferry, Family Engagement Manager

A few summers ago, a friend of ours was a baker at the Saltry restaurant in Halibut Cove. Her cheesecakes were beautiful. Until one day, when she sliced into one and it cut a little funny. She tasted it; she had left out the sugar.

Family Engagement is like the sugar to our schools; it’s a key ingredient. Decades of studies confirm that partnership with parents enriches our schools in positive ways, academically and socially.

One of our favorite studies looked at 100 schools in Chicago that had improved and 100 that did not, over a seven-year period. Schools that had all five ingredients—good leadership, quality teachers, a good climate, quality curriculum AND family engagement— were four times more likely to improve than if they were missing any one of those ingredients.

Unfortunately, the vast majority of teachers and school staff weren’t offered courses in family partnership before they started their jobs. And according to the 2025 School Climate and Connectedness Survey results, a third of teachers reported they didn’t receive any training on family-school partnerships from their school last year. 

AASB’s Alaska Family Engagement Center is working to remedy that by making it easier for educators to access the training and tools to help educators confidently partner with families.

We invite your school districts to participate in the 2026 School Climate & Connectedness Survey (SCCS). Each year, the majority of Alaska school districts collect and use school climate data to improve and strengthen school environments, relationships, and connections between students, staff and families. Participating in SCCS also opens up additional opportunities for grant programs through AASB to support initiatives to improve school climate. 

Questions? Contact the School Climate team at sccs@aasb.org 

Fired for Social Media Post? The Supreme Court Says: “No Comment” (Or Does It?)

Part 2 of the series, Judicial Roundup: Corralling Cases That Affect Schools

John M. Sedor of Sedor, Wendlandt, Evans & Filippi, LLC

Our theme this year for our AASB Commentaries is “Judicial Round Up.” We are gathering significant court actions that impact school districts. This month we will explore the US Supreme Court’s decision not to take a school district speech case and consider the impact that “non-action” can have on the state of First Amendment Free Speech law. 

Chair brushes off my motions

Ann Macfarlane, Professional Parliamentarian

I am a school board trustee, and no members of my board have a firm grasp on parliamentary procedure, including our board president. I have done my best to follow parliamentary procedure in meetings, but it is difficult because the chair often brushes off my motions.

For instance, during the last meeting, I said, “I think we should amend this motion to specify that we do a slow rollout and pilot this curriculum.” The chair said we couldn’t make an amendment because we hadn’t voted to approve the curriculum yet. I am not accustomed to dealing with a board like this, and I’m often not sure how to respond.

When a new member is appointed to fill a vacant seat, should they take the oath of office before the board reorganizes, or does the board reorganize first?

Answer: Before taking office, any board member, whether elected or appointed to fill a vacancy, shall take and sign the oath as mandated in AS 14.12.090 Oath.

While a new member brings a different perspective to the board, their appointment might not automatically trigger a re-election of all officers if the existing officers' terms are still valid. However, depending on the board's dynamics and bylaws, the new member's presence might prompt a discussion or a desire to hold new officer elections, even if not explicitly required.

Got a question? Email Jenni Lefing or Katie Oliver

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If you would like AASB to conduct a superintendent search for your district, or have questions, Learn More or Contact Us