Friday, August 7, 2020

Alaska State resolution touts Noahide Law and Rabbi Schneerson


SIGN THE PETITION 

In 2018 the Alaska State legislature passed resolution HCR21 which institutes "Education and Sharing Day". The resolution states "WHEREAS the educational system must also focus on building character by emphasizing the cultivation of universal moral and ethical values that have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, including the values known as the Seven Noahide Laws, which have often been cited as a guarantee of fundamental human rights". Stating that the Noahide Laws guarantee fundamental human rights is absolutely repugnant. The bill also highly praises Rabbi  Menachem Schneerson, the man who most aggressively led the campaign for Noahide Law globally and who said non-Jews have satanic souls (here). A proclamation by the Alabama State Governor also recognized the Noahide Laws (here)

http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Bill/Text/30?Hsid=HCR021A

HCR 21: Proclaiming March 27, 2018, as Alaska Education and Sharing Day.

                   HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 21                                                                   

 Proclaiming March 27, 2018, as Alaska Education and Sharing Day.                                                        

 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               

       WHEREAS excellence in education is vital to the success of our nation, our state, and                           

 our communities; and                                                                                                    

       WHEREAS, in the great state of Alaska, we seek the betterment of our citizens and                               

 look to provide each child and adolescent with a good education; and                                                    

       WHEREAS education develops the intellect and prepares students for the                                          

 responsibilities and opportunities of the future through lessons in literacy, math, and science;                        

 and                                                                                                                     

       WHEREAS the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Schneerson, a global spiritual leader who                                     

 dedicated his life to the betterment of mankind, provided a shining example of what education                           

 ought to be for all people; and                                                                                         

       WHEREAS the Rebbe was a tireless advocate for youth, emphasizing the importance                                 

 of education and good character and instilling hope for a brighter future in countless people                           

 around the world; and                                                                                                   

       WHEREAS the Rebbe taught that education, in general, should not be limited to the                               

 acquisition of knowledge and preparation for a career, nor should its sole focus be on making                           

 a better living; and                                                                                                    

 WHEREAS the educational system must also focus on building character by                                               

 emphasizing the cultivation of universal moral and ethical values that have been the bedrock                            

 of society from the dawn of civilization, including the values known as the Seven Noahide                               

 Laws, which have often been cited as a guarantee of fundamental human rights; and                                       

       WHEREAS the Rebbe taught that people must think in terms of creating better lives                               

 for all members of society and that focusing on the development of character, as well as                                

 strong moral and ethical values, would further that goal; and                                                           

 WHEREAS, in recognition of the Rebbe's outstanding and lasting contributions to                                     

 global education and focus on morality and acts of charity, the Rebbe has been awarded the                              

 Congressional Gold Medal, and the United States Congress has established his birthday as a                              

 national day to raise awareness of the importance of strengthening the educational system for                           

 our children; and                                                                                                       

 WHEREAS, every year since 1978, on the Rebbe's birthday, the President of the                                         

 United States, regardless of political affiliation, has paid recognition to the Rebbe's vision by                       

 proclaiming the day "Education and Sharing Day, USA"; and                                                               

 WHEREAS we strengthen the character of our youth by encouraging them to serve a                                       

 cause greater than themselves and by fostering values such as courage and compassion; and                               

 WHEREAS, by instilling a spirit of service in our children, we create a more                                          

 optimistic future for our children and the state;                                                                       

 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature proclaims March 27, 2018, to                                         

 be Alaska Education and Sharing Day.                    


MINUTES

http://www.akleg.gov/basis/Meeting/Detail/?Meeting=HEDC%202018-03-21%2008:00:00&Bill=HCR%2021

 HCR 21-MARCH 27, 2018:AK EDUCATION & SHARING DAY                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
8:23:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND announced  that the final order  of business would                                                               
be HCR 21,  "Proclaiming March 27, 2018, as  Alaska Education and                                                               
Sharing Day."                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:23:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
JOHNANNA SCHULTZ, Staff,  Representative Harriet Drummond, Alaska                                                               
State Legislature, introduced HCR 21  and noted that it proclaims                                                               
March  27,  2018 as  Alaska  Education  and  Sharing Day.    This                                                               
resolution focuses  on the importance and  recognition of values,                                                               
ethics,  and  character  development,  as  part  of  a  student's                                                               
education  so  they  become   engaged,  caring,  and  responsible                                                               
citizens.   She advised  that this is  a companion  resolution to                                                               
SCR 15, sponsored  by Senator Shelley Hughes,  which is scheduled                                                               
for a floor vote  this morning.  She said that  HCR 21 is aligned                                                               
with national  proclamations that have occurred  since 1978, when                                                               
Congress  set  aside  the  anniversary  of  the  birth  of  Rabbi                                                               
Menachem Schneerson  as Education and  Sharing Day U.S.A.   Rabbi                                                               
Schneerson dedicated his life to  the promotion of education as a                                                               
cornerstone of humanity and held  that, in addition to academics,                                                               
the discussion  of morals should  not be neglected.   Through the                                                               
establishment  of  educational  and social  service  institutions                                                               
across  the  country  and  world,  Rabbi  Schneerson  thought  to                                                               
empower young people and inspire  individuals of all ages.  Rabbi                                                               
Schneerson's legacy was encouraging  Americans to teach and share                                                               
with the  next generation the  values that make good  citizens, a                                                               
strong nation, and a better world.   She noted that for 40 years,                                                               
every United  States President,  regardless of  political stripes                                                               
or religious affiliation, has honored  this vision by proclaiming                                                               
National  Education  and  Sharing  Day.   Education  for  Alaskan                                                               
students occurs here at home and  it is a privilege to honor this                                                               
vision in Alaska.   She requested the committee's  support of HCR                                                               
21, in  setting aside March  2, as  Education and Sharing  Day to                                                               
celebrate  hard work,  service,  and commitment  to learning,  as                                                               
cornerstones of a bright future for the youth in Alaska.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:26:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  KOPP   asked  Ms.  Schultz  to   recite  for  the                                                               
committee the seven Noahide laws [Seven Laws of Noah].                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MS. SCHULTZ  explained that the  Noahide laws are similar  to the                                                               
Ten Commandments,  they are  a basis  of fundamental  rights, but                                                               
she  could not  list the  laws.   [Not to  worship idols,  Not to                                                               
curse God, To establish courts  of justice, Not to commit murder,                                                               
Not to commit adultery, Not to  steal, Not to eat flesh torn from                                                               
a living animal.]                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP noted  that he is familiar with  the story of                                                               
Noah who was a good and righteous  man.  It is his belief that it                                                               
is important  to highlight  those laws because  they are  part of                                                               
this resolution, he said.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND  noted she  looks forward  to hearing  the Noahide                                                               
laws from upcoming witnesses.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
8:27:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SPOHNHOLZ referred  to  the March  27, 2018  date                                                               
proposed in HCR  21, and asked why that date  was chosen over the                                                               
April 7  date listed in  the 3/28/17 Proclamation,  together with                                                               
the dates in the past depicted "in the sort of history we have."                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MS.   SCHULTZ  responded   that  the   date  of   Rabbi  Menachem                                                               
Schneerson's birth  was on the  11th day  of the Hebrew  month of                                                               
Nisan,  and the  United States  uses a  different calendar  so it                                                               
changes every year.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:28:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND related that she  grew up in a Jewish neighborhood                                                               
in the Bronx and the Jewish  calendar is quite different from the                                                               
"Western calendar."   The Jewish calendar does go  along with the                                                               
Greek  Orthodox   calendar,  and  Greek  Easter   always  follows                                                               
Passover; however,  Greek Easter  does not always  follow Western                                                               
Easter,  sometimes it  is on  the  same Sunday,  sometimes it  is                                                               
seven days  later, and in every  fourth or fifth year,  it is one                                                               
month later.   Yet, Passover and Orthodox Easter are  on the same                                                               
calendar  because whenever  Passover moves,  Greek Easter  moves.                                                               
She described that  it is fascinating how  these ancient cultures                                                               
operate  on  a  different  calendar than  the  nation  currently.                                                               
Growing up  in a Jewish  neighborhood, her school was  95 percent                                                               
local Jewish students  and they took Jewish holidays  off, and 95                                                               
percent  of  the students  were  at  shul because  education  was                                                               
incredibly  important  to the  Jewish  communities  all over  the                                                               
world.  Children  did not simply stay home  and watch television,                                                               
they went  to shul  and studied their  religion and  their Jewish                                                               
language, she explained.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:31:01 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND opened public testimony on HCR 21.                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
8:31:16 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RABBI  YOSEF GREENBURG,  Alaska Jewish  Campus and  the Lubavitch                                                               
Jewish  Center of  Alaska, pointed  out that  the shootings  that                                                               
took  place  in  Florida,  Maryland,   and  across  America,  are                                                               
confusing  to children.    There  is no  doubt  America is  going                                                               
through  something and  that Americans  are looking  for answers.                                                               
This may  be the ultimate  answer (audio  difficulties) spiritual                                                               
giant of  our time and  our nation who  was a great  advocate for                                                               
education, he  offered.   Rabbi Schneerson  believed that  it was                                                               
not enough to  educate children to be ready for  the Creator, but                                                               
that  it is  important to  make sure  they are  ready to  be good                                                               
citizens.  He explained that the  Noahide laws are similar to the                                                               
Ten Commandments, such as, Thou  shalt not murder, and Thou shall                                                               
not  steal.   Those universal  values, he  explained, talk  about                                                               
respect for humanity, human life,  animals' pain, law, and all of                                                               
humanitarian laws  given by God  (audio difficulties),  and given                                                               
to Adam  and Eve.  A  person will realize when  reading the Bible                                                               
in Genesis,  where the (indisc.)  are hiding, he noted  that some                                                               
are clear and some are hiding  between the lines, where the basic                                                               
universal laws offer society goodness and kindness.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
8:33:47 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RABBI GREENBURG  explained that the  Jewish calendar goes  by the                                                               
moon cycle of the year, and  the secular calendar follows the sun                                                               
cycle.   He explained  that they are  both ancient  calendars and                                                               
"the Jewish calendar had this leap  year where once in four years                                                               
to add  another month  to make  sure the  Passover should  not go                                                               
away  more  than one  month."    Rabbi Schneerson's  birthday  is                                                               
always three days before Passover  on the Jewish calendar, and in                                                               
the secular  calendar that  could move  around between  March and                                                               
April, and  back and forth.   He reiterated that both  the Jewish                                                               
calendar  and  the  calendar  America  uses  today,  are  ancient                                                               
calendars  and  "we combine  them  both  together in  the  Jewish                                                               
calendar."                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:35:18 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND asked the year of the current Jewish calendar.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
RABBI GREENBURG answered that the Jewish calendar is 5778.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND  commented "I've always  observed, I  believe that                                                               
the Last Supper  that is celebrated before Easter  was a Passover                                                               
Seder."                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
RABBI GREENBURG  responded that  is what is  in some  stories and                                                               
that is what he heard, but he is not an expert.                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
8:36:27 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
RABBI ROBIN  MENDY GREENBURG, Alaska Jewish  Campus, related that                                                               
he echoes  his father's testimony  because Americans see  what is                                                               
taking  place in  their  country.   This  resolution depicts  the                                                               
importance  of this  concept wherein  one  day a  year should  be                                                               
dedicated to  focus on a  gateway of  an entire year  for parents                                                               
and educators  to truly  think about the  meaning and  purpose of                                                               
education.    Our  children  could be  great  readers  and  great                                                               
intellectuals with great academic knowledge.  He stressed                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
that a little  more than 70-years ago, the  Holocaust took place,                                                               
and not by  third-world country but by a  progressive and up-and-                                                               
coming country  of doctors,  scientists, and  the fathers  of the                                                               
minds of  the modern  world, and  yet, it  somehow made  sense to                                                               
inflict such  terrible crimes on  humanity.  These  atrocities to                                                               
humanity point  out how  important it is  and crucial  that, with                                                               
all  of  our  intellect  and  our academic  studies,  to  have  a                                                               
foundation in charity  for our children.  A custom  in the Jewish                                                               
tradition, and  what Rabbi Schneerson  encouraged, is  that every                                                               
person has their own charity box,  and that every child has their                                                               
own charity box with their name on  it.  The idea, he offered, is                                                               
not to  raise a lot  of money,  but to actually  educate children                                                               
and people  to be  giving and  charitable.   Each day,  by giving                                                               
just one penny and one minute  to charity, it becomes part of our                                                               
nature and thinking about others,  thinking about a greater cause                                                               
and  not  just about  ourselves,  but  about our  obligations  to                                                               
society.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:39:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DRUMMOND, after  ascertaining  no one  wished to  testify,                                                               
closed public testimony on HCR 21.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
8:39:41 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE KOPP  spoke in  support of HCR  21, "it  makes the                                                               
profound  statement   that  education   is  so  much   more  than                                                               
knowledge,"  and  lays a  foundational  character  in a  person's                                                               
life, ethical  values, moral truths,  upon which a  person builds                                                               
their  own life.   He  related  that it  is beautiful  to make  a                                                               
connection  with our  Jewish community  because Judaism  has done                                                               
more for the  life of the mind in connecting  faith and reason in                                                               
modern society  than any  other faith  group, by  far.   He noted                                                               
that Raoul Wallenberg [Swedish  diplomat in Nazi-occupied Hungary                                                               
saved the  lives of  nearly 100,000 Hungarian  Jews] is  the sole                                                               
recipient in the  Guinness Book of World Records  of having saved                                                               
the  most  human  beings,  single-handedly,   in  history.    Mr.                                                               
Wallenberg  was passionate  about  saving lives  and possessed  a                                                               
master intellect, it was not just that he loved the Jewish                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
people,  but that  he had  been educated  in Israel  at a  Jewish                                                               
Center  and  knew that  the  life  of  the  minds of  our  future                                                               
civilization was  literally at stake.   He added that  there more                                                               
was  being  done in  that  community  to connect  faith,  reason,                                                               
natural law,  and moral law.   Mr. Wallenberg  literally believed                                                               
that  the future  of humanity  depended upon  every life  that he                                                               
saved.  Representative  Kopp related that he is proud  to put his                                                               
name on this resolution.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:41:34 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  PAISH moved  to report  HCR 21  out of  committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no  objection, HCR  21 moved from  the House                                                               
Education Standing Committee.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
^CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):                                                                                                       
 University of Alaska Board of Regents                                                                                        
Alaska Board of Education & Early Development                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
                    CONFIRMATION HEARING(S):                                                                                
             University of Alaska Board of Regents                                                                          
         Alaska Board of Education & Early Development                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
8:44:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be Governor  Bill Walker's  appointments to  the Alaska  Board of                                                               
Education  and Early  Development, and  the University  of Alaska                                                               
Board of Regents.                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DRUMMOND  invited  Steven Joey  Sweet,  Governor  Walker's                                                               
appointee to the  University of Alaska Board  of Regents, Student                                                               
Representative, to testify.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:44:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
STEVEN JOEY  SWEET advised that he  would like to be  a member of                                                               
the  Board  of  Regents  due   to  the  current  changes  in  the                                                               
university,  such  as  the Strategic  Pathways  initiative.    He                                                               
pointed to the 12/14/2016 creation  of a single Alaska College of                                                               
Education  administered by  the  University  of Alaska  Southeast                                                               
(UAS) as another  change.  It was through  Strategic Pathways and                                                               
important changes to the university  that he first started to pay                                                               
attention  to  what  was  taking  place  on  campus,  during  his                                                               
undergraduate degree in  political science.  He noted  that he is                                                               
currently pursuing  a master's  degree in  Public Administration.                                                               
He pointed out that these  changes are affecting students, staff,                                                               
and  faculty, and  that he  had tried  within his  capacity as  a                                                               
regent to  do his best to  understand the full impact  that these                                                               
types of changes have on each  of those particular groups.  Prior                                                               
to his  experience as a  member of the  Board of Regents,  it was                                                               
not something he had previously given  thought to in terms of how                                                               
these   types  of   changes  can   affect   staff  and   faculty.                                                               
Previously,  he  advised,  he  focused  on  how  changes  at  the                                                               
university  affected  the  students,  and he  has  since  learned                                                               
throughout  his  tenure  on  the   Board  of  Regents,  that  the                                                               
university has many  stakeholder groups and it  should work those                                                               
groups into the decision-making process.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
8:47:15 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DRUMMOND  noted  that  Mr.  Sweet  began  college  at  the                                                               
University  of   Alaska  Fairbanks  (UAF),  and   then  moved  to                                                               
Anchorage.   Considering what the  university is  currently going                                                               
through,  she asked  what  he could  advise  about his  different                                                               
experiences.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR.  SWEET responded  that he  spent his  Freshman and  Sophomore                                                               
years  at  UAF,  and  made   the  decision  to  transfer  to  the                                                               
University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) in  part to be closer to his                                                               
family and  in part to shake  things up for himself.   He related                                                               
that he did not necessarily  feel connected or involved on campus                                                               
at  UAF,   and  clarified  that   the  reason  was  not   on  the                                                               
institutional and  campus level as there  were many opportunities                                                               
to be involved and engaged.   The UAF maintains an active student                                                               
government, many  clubs, and social  events to keep a  student on                                                               
campus.  He noted that he had wanted  to take a gap year, but his                                                               
parents did not agree so  he attended college directly after high                                                               
school.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  DRUMMOND  commented  that  the decision  appears  to  have                                                               
worked if he is moving toward serving on the Board of Regents.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:49:09 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE ZULKOSKY referred to  Strategic Pathways and asked                                                               
Mr. Sweet to offer his  philosophy about the access to university                                                               
opportunities  at  community  campuses throughout  rural  Alaska.                                                               
She further  asked how  he would  approach decision-making  as it                                                               
relates  to limited  resources,  and also  making  sure there  is                                                               
equitable access throughout the state.                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. SWEET responded that that issue  is something he tries to pay                                                               
attention to  because it is easy  to make decisions based  on the                                                               
three  main campuses,  and noted  that he  has not  had a  lot of                                                               
experience with  community campuses  at this point.   One  of the                                                               
Strategic  Pathways phases  did  examine ways  to  try to  reduce                                                               
costs and  operate more effectively  for the  community campuses,                                                               
he advised.   Although, he related, he is not  familiar with what                                                               
the possible decisions were with  regard to the outcomes of those                                                               
committees.   He offered to  follow up and provide  more specific                                                               
information to  Representative Zulkosky.   He  said that  he does                                                               
want to pay attention to  maintaining access and affordability at                                                               
our community campuses, especially within  rural Alaska.  He said                                                               
that he  knows the  university will be  instituting a  25 percent                                                               
tuition  discount for  certain low  technical programs  housed in                                                               
community campuses,  except he is  not sure,  off the top  of his                                                               
head, whether those  were statewide or just  within certain major                                                               
administrative units (MAU).                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
8:51:35 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  asked the current most  serious threats to                                                               
the university system.                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
MR. SWEET  offered his belief  that it  may be low  morale within                                                               
the  system.   For several  years,  the university  has seen  the                                                               
effects of the  budget cuts, thereby making it  easy for students                                                               
and  faculty  to be  critical  when  programs  are cut  with  the                                                               
decline in enrollment, and so forth.   The energy of the campuses                                                               
has been declining and the  feeling that the university will face                                                               
budget cuts  year after  year has taken  its toll  among students                                                               
and  faculty.    This  issue   contributes  to  the  declines  in                                                               
enrollment as  students leave to  attend schools in  the Lower-48                                                               
because they feel  their education is on the chopping  block.  He                                                               
pointed out that  that sort of feeling is  powerful and pervasive                                                               
within  the system,  and how  people feel  about their  education                                                               
goes  a long  way  toward determining  whether  they will  finish                                                               
their education at the University of  Alaska.  The feeling of low                                                               
morale and a general sort of  cynicism is what he considers to be                                                               
the most significant issue currently, he reiterated.                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
8:53:37 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  asked what  Mr. Sweet  would do  about the                                                               
low morale if confirmed as a student regent.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MR. SWEET responded  that when he has  conversations with student                                                               
government leaders, he  tells them that if students  come to them                                                               
with particular problems, to understand  that the student leaders                                                               
have  resources  at their  disposal  to  address problems.    For                                                               
example, it  was recently noticed  that student employees  at UAA                                                               
they were paid $8.50 per hour,  which was below the state minimum                                                               
wage  of $9.84.   As  a  federal institution,  the University  of                                                               
Alaska  is exempt  from  the requirement  of  paying the  state's                                                               
minimum  wage because  they can  stay  in line  with the  federal                                                               
minimum  wage.   These  employees reached  out  to their  student                                                               
government of  which wrote resolutions about  the wage disparity,                                                               
and  they reached  out to  the Board  of Regents  and himself  to                                                               
raise  awareness   about  the   issue.     Over  the   course  of                                                               
approximately five  to six months,  they brought the  decision to                                                               
the attention  of the statewide administration  that examined the                                                               
problem and  found that  the university could  afford to  bump up                                                               
that $8.50  per hour wage to  the $9.84 per hour  wage, and those                                                               
wages will soon  be changed.  In the event  those student leaders                                                               
and the student union had  simply noticed the problem but decided                                                               
not  to  take an  active  step  to  reach  out to  their  student                                                               
government, in  all likelihood the  wage would have  continued at                                                               
$8.50 per  hour.  He  related that tries  to tell people  that he                                                               
understands the  reasons for cynicism  and low  morale currently,                                                               
but to  not let  that be  their last destination,  if they  see a                                                               
problem to bring it forward and try to solve the problem.                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:55:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  asked that after speaking  with his peers,                                                               
what are their  main considerations as to whether  they choose to                                                               
attend the University of Alaska.                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
MR. SWEET replied that anecdotally,  it is whether they feel they                                                               
know people  within their academic  field.  For  example, biology                                                               
students  want to  know and  have social  connections with  other                                                               
biology  students.    Speaking  from  personal  experience  as  a                                                               
political science  undergraduate, he noted that  they had dinners                                                               
and all students  in the political science  program were invited,                                                               
usually on a once per semester  basis at the beginning and end of                                                               
the  academic  year.   Anecdotally,  he  offered, what  generally                                                               
keeps  students in  the institution  is how  well connected  they                                                               
feel  and  whether  they know  people  within  their  discipline.                                                               
Research suggests  that a student is  happier if they have  a job                                                               
on campus  and meet with an  advisor preferably more than  once a                                                               
semester, he suggested.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
8:57:45 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON congratulated Mr.  Sweet for his activism                                                               
and  leadership  because  as  the world  is  transforming  it  is                                                               
refreshing to hear  someone who understands that  it is society's                                                               
responsibility to be part of that change.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
8:58:36 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND  announced that the  next order of  business would                                                               
be  Governor Walker's  appointee  to the  Alaska  State Board  of                                                               
Education & Early Development.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
8:58:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
TIFFANY SCOTT advised that she is  here on behalf of our children                                                               
and  their  futures, and  she  hope  to  create a  better  future                                                               
through her work  on the Alaska State Board of  Education & Early                                                               
Development.   She related  that she has  been married  for eight                                                               
years, they  have two children,  one is  in second grade  and the                                                               
other child is in kindergarten  at June Nelson Elementary School.                                                               
Both of her children were  students at the Nikaitchuat Ilisagviat                                                               
Inupiaq  Immersion  School,  and  have since  aged  out  and  are                                                               
attending   June  Nelson   Elementary  School.     Her   children                                                               
participated  in  the  21st  Century  Community  Learning  Center                                                               
Spelling Bee  this year and the  Battle of the Books  just ended.                                                               
Ms. Scott  advised that  she is  a 2003  graduate of  Colony High                                                               
School in Palmer, she attended  both rural and urban schools, and                                                               
spent some  of her  elementary years  at the  Kotzebue Elementary                                                               
School.   In  a  former  life, she  offered  that  she worked  in                                                               
government  affairs   for  NANA  Regional  Corporation   and  its                                                               
business arm,  NANA Development Corporation,  which is  where she                                                               
learned to  follow and analyze legislation  closely, specifically                                                               
examining its  impacts to  the shareholders  of the  NANA Region.                                                               
During  that period,  she also  served  on the  Matanuska-Susitna                                                               
Borough School Board  where she was first appointed  to a vacancy                                                               
and  was  subsequently elected  to  that  position the  following                                                               
year.  She said that some  of her duties included: working on the                                                               
district's budget; performing  a curriculum review; transitioning                                                               
through   different    bargaining   units    through   collective                                                               
bargaining;  worked with  the Matanuska-Susitna  Borough Assembly                                                               
on the Joint  Committee on School Issues; and  networked with the                                                               
Association  of  Alaska  School  Boards  (AASB),  which  involved                                                               
flying into Juneau and advocating  for students' interests in the                                                               
district  and  the state.    Currently,  she  offered, she  is  a                                                               
registered nurse in the emergency  department where she had spent                                                               
a few years as a technician,  she also provides volunteer time at                                                               
the local  Alaska Technical Center within  the Health Occupations                                                               
Program; and she serves as  a peer-mentor to nursing students and                                                               
pre-nursing  students  who  have   demonstrated  an  interest  in                                                               
pursuing a career in nursing.                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
9:03:24 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SCOTT explained  that she  would like  to be  on the  Alaska                                                               
State Board of Education &  Early Development in order to support                                                               
the  main themes  of the  Alaska Education  Challenge, increasing                                                               
student success, supporting  responsible and reflective learners,                                                               
as  well as  cultivating  safety and  well-being amongst  Alaskan                                                               
students.  She  said that in working in  the emergency department                                                               
she is no  stranger to some of the  adverse childhood experiences                                                               
some Alaskan students  are unfairly subjected.   Through her work                                                               
as a nurse, she is aware of  Maslow's hierarchy of needs and if a                                                               
child's  physical  needs are  not  met,  such as  food,  shelter,                                                               
clothing, and safety,  they cannot progress into  higher tiers of                                                               
needs,   such  as   love,  belonging,   self-esteem,  and   self-                                                               
actualization, which  Maslow describes as  being at the  point in                                                               
which a  person knows  who they  are and  acts on  those beliefs.                                                               
She noted that President James  R. Johnsen, University of Alaska,                                                               
advised during  a recent Board  of Regents meeting,  "Think about                                                               
your role  on this  board and  what you  can bring  to it."   She                                                               
pointed out that  today is "World Down Syndrome Day"  and this is                                                               
an  opportunity to  raise public  awareness for  a single  global                                                               
voice  advocating for  the rights,  inclusion, and  well-being of                                                               
those with Down Syndrome.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:05:33 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR DRUMMOND commented  that Ms. Scott, as  an emergency nurse,                                                               
sees the  impacts of  Adverse Childhood  Experience (ACE)  on her                                                               
patients.   The House  Education Standing Committee and the House                                                               
Health and Social  Services Standing Committee held  6.5 hours of                                                               
intense  testimony and  presentations  from  the two  departments                                                               
that are  working hard to  capture, support, and  educate Alaskan                                                               
children,  which  included  asking  mothers to  look  into  their                                                               
family history 12  months before becoming pregnant.   She related                                                               
that  it  is critical  to  pull  all  of these  efforts  together                                                               
through the Alaska  Board of Education and  Early Development and                                                               
through the Department  of Health and Social  Services to provide                                                               
critical services  to Alaskan communities.   The intent  of these                                                               
two committees  was to look at  what was being done  for Alaska's                                                               
youngest children  in an effort to  get them ready to  learn when                                                               
they begin school.  Although,  wading through ACEs, other issues,                                                               
and issues children  are exposed to in the womb  and as newborns,                                                               
is difficult, she remarked.                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:07:48 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  ZULKOSKY noted  that it  is no  small journey  to                                                               
travel all the  way from Kotzebue, and she thanked  Ms. Scott for                                                               
her moving testimony.  She  said that she appreciates Ms. Scott's                                                               
background  and  experience  in   both  urban  and  rural  school                                                               
settings, and her children will  more than likely thrive in their                                                               
public  school due  to being  enrolled in  an immersion  program.                                                               
Clearly, she  noted, everyone knows  that nursing is not  for the                                                               
faint of heart with  the long hours and days, and  Ms. Scott is a                                                               
mother  who cares  about the  future of  Alaskan children  and is                                                               
willing to step forward, she related,                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:08:59 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SPOHNHOLZ  offered  that   in  listening  to  Ms.                                                               
Scott's testimony,  another real  element of expertise  and value                                                               
that she will bring to the  board is her knowledge and experience                                                               
with her children's  language immersion school and  program.  The                                                               
importance  of the  role of  language and  the preservation  of a                                                               
culture  is well  known, together  with the  importance that  the                                                               
preservation of daily  living our culture is  in helping Alaskans                                                               
achieve  some of  that  higher self-actualization,  satisfaction,                                                               
and  confidence,  of  which  Alaska's  schools  have  not  always                                                               
supported.   She  stressed that  this  knowledge will  be a  real                                                               
asset  to  the  board  as   legislators  try  to  understand  and                                                               
integrate language into Alaska's  public school system statewide.                                                               
She   said  she   is  excited   about   Ms.  Scott's   nomination                                                               
appointment.                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
9:10:17 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  JOHNSTON   (audio  difficulties)   requested  Ms.                                                               
Scott's  perspective  on  the   Alaska  Education  Challenge  and                                                               
whether she plans to participate in that transformation.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
MS.  SCOTT responded  that she  worked  with the  two Elders  who                                                               
happen to  be her Godparents,  who were  part of the  movement to                                                               
establish   and  create   the   Nikaitchuat  Ilisagviat   Inupiaq                                                               
Immersion School.   She related that her  duty and responsibility                                                               
on the  board is  to participate  fully and  make sure  there are                                                               
proper  consultations and  collaborations  with the  stakeholders                                                               
who have  done so much  over decades to  help bring the  state to                                                               
this  point  for  its  students,  not only  in  her  region,  but                                                               
throughout the entire  state.  She said she looks  forward to the                                                               
tribal  community  ownership  portion  of  the  Alaska  Education                                                               
Challenge.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
9:11:45 AM'                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON requested the status of Camp Sivu.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
MS. SCOTT  opined that  due to some  trying financial  times with                                                               
Nanna   Regional  Corporation,   she   does   not  believe   Camp                                                               
Sivunniiqvik  has   taken  place  during  the   past  few  years.                                                               
Although,  making up  for  that problem,  there  have been  other                                                               
private and public moves throughout  the school district camps to                                                               
get students,  as well as those  who have moved into  the region,                                                               
out to  culture camps.   The  Villages of  Noatak and  Kiana have                                                               
provided some  camps, so while  Camp Sivunniiqvik might not  be a                                                               
consistent  opportunity every  year,  others have  stepped in  to                                                               
help meet the needs, she explained.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON  commented that she hopes  something will                                                               
transpire because it is a beautiful spot.                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
9:13:08 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH  advised that the House  Education Standing                                                               
Committee  has  reviewed  the qualifications  of  the  governor's                                                               
appointees and recommends  that the names: Steven  Joey Sweet, as                                                               
appointee to  the University of  Alaska Board of  Regents Student                                                               
Representative,  and Tiffany  Scott, as  appointee to  the Alaska                                                               
State Board of  Education & Early Development, be  forwarded to a                                                               
joint  session of  the Senate  and House  of Representatives  for                                                               
consideration.   This  does  not  reflect intent  by  any of  the                                                               
members  to vote  for  or against  these  individuals during  any                                                               
further sessions for the purposes of confirmation.                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
9:13:54 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                 

ADJOURNMENT                                                            


No comments:

Post a Comment