Senator missed chance to hear from students, educators

Frontiersman editorial board

The National Education Association-Alaska has recently managed a program to send legislators to local schools. The program is a great idea, and it seems to have produced some good results in a few cases already.

However, when Valley Senator Scott Ogan recently visited Wasilla High School, the results were questionable. While NEA's intention is to send legislators into the halls of schools to get a first-hand experience of school life, and of the challenges faced daily by educators and students, Ogan used the opportunity to again slam the media and to soap box for coal-bed methane development in the Valley. While Ogan has made no bones about the fact that CBM development is an important project, and that he hopes to leave it as his legacy, the Alaska Legislators Back to School program was not the proper forum to tout his pet project.

At a time when our schools face serious budget woes, tense labor negotiations and serious challenges relating to the No Child Left Behind Act, Senator Ogan missed a golden opportunity to hear from students and teachers. Instead of listening to them discuss the challenges faced by our education system, Ogan chose to lament what he perceives as unfair treatment by the media, and by readers who have submitted letters to the editor in opposition to the way he has handled the CBM issue so far.

Senator Ogan has not missed an opportunity to complain about the media in public in recent weeks. His presentation to the Greater Palmer Chamber of Commerce last month turned into an emotional outburst, and he raised the issue again at the Big Lake Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday.

Ogan has said he's been libeled in letters, and he told the students at Wasilla High School that the Frontiersman has intentionally not printed positive letters in order to present a slanted perspective. In fact, Frontiersman runs every letter received and confirmed within our deadline schedule, editing only for libel, clarity and length. Frontiersman also prints every Spectrum submission within the same guidelines, even those submitted by Senator Ogan. Their opportunity to meet with their senator was wasted on topics that have little bearing on their school lives.

Perhaps it's time to bone up on education and some of the other issues in your district, Senator Ogan. Perhaps it's time to come to grips with reality and accept that a large number of negative letters to the editor may be a signal that you've lost touch with your constituents. There are many issues of importance in the Valley, and education should be at the top of every legislator's list.