Controversy Over Constitution Booklets
The Anchorage School District has sparked significant online backlash after mistakenly placing nonendorsement labels on copies of the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. This incident was attributed to an error.
The Hillsdale College Pocket Constitution booklets, which contain these foundational documents, were marked with stickers stating, “the Anchorage School District does not endorse these materials or the viewpoint expressed in them.” A parent shared a photo of the sticker on Facebook last week, leading to widespread attention from various online communities.
Alaska Attorney General Stephen Cox expressed his concern, labeling the situation as “deeply disturbing.” M.J. Thim, a spokesperson for the district, clarified that this disclaimer was an oversight. He explained that such stickers are typically used on external flyers and posters distributed at schools to differentiate them from official district communications.
Mr. Thim stated, “This was our mistake,” emphasizing that the request should not have been processed through their usual system for flyers or posters. The district plans to reach out directly to rectify the issue with the individual who made the request.
The Anchorage School District is also reviewing its procedures to prevent similar errors in attaching disclaimers to founding documents in the future. Mr. Thim reiterated, “The U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence are crucial components of social studies education,” highlighting their importance in shaping students’ understanding of core values.
Hillsdale College, a private conservative institution located in Michigan, has provided millions of these pocket constitutions to school districts at no cost.
