In a surprising turn of events, the Anchorage School District in Alaska found itself at the center of a controversy after inadvertently attaching a disclaimer to a flyer featuring the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. This disclaimer stated that the district “does not endorse these materials or the viewpoints expressed,” prompting a wave of confusion and concern among parents and community members.
The incident came to light when Karen Waldron, a parent from Anchorage, discovered the disclaimer on a pamphlet her daughter brought home from school. The pamphlet, distributed in class, contained the foundational documents of American history. Waldron took to Facebook to express her disbelief, writing, “Today my daughter brought home a pamphlet with the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. On the back was a sticker saying that the Anchorage School District ‘does not endorse the materials or viewpoints expressed in them.'”
Waldron’s astonishment was evident as she continued, “I was honestly stunned. These aren’t controversial documents; they are the foundation of our country and what our students are supposed to be learning about. Why would a school need to distance itself from the very principles we are built on?” Her concerns resonated with many who saw the disclaimer as an unnecessary distancing from documents integral to the nation’s identity.
In response to the uproar, the Anchorage School District acknowledged the error, admitting it was a mistake to add the disclaimer to the flyer. The district’s recognition of the oversight has led to calls for clarification and a deeper understanding of how such an error occurred.
Waldron concluded her social media post by stating her intention to seek further explanation from the district, underscoring the importance of transparency and accountability in educational materials. The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the handling of historical documents in educational settings and the messages conveyed to students.
“I’ll be asking the district for an explanation,” Waldron concluded in the post.
Fox News Digital spoke with Waldron on the phone, who expressed frustration about the situation and said the wording on the sticker was highly inappropriate.
Waldron explained that she fully supports transparency in education and just wants to understand the thinking behind the sticker being placed on every packet.
Waldron also told Fox News Digital that parents deserve clarity and that if outside materials are being sent home, especially involving American founding documents, the messaging should be thoughtful and not confusing to families.
The packet, which included the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, was marked with a disclaimer. (iStock)
Anchorage Daily News reported that M.J. Thim, a spokesperson for the school district, said that the disclaimers were a “mistake” and that the flyers “shouldn’t have been processed” through a system that adds the stickers to materials that come from outside the school district.
“This was our mistake,” Thim wrote to the Anchorage Daily News. “The request that came in wasn’t for a flyer or poster and shouldn’t have been processed through that system. We will be following up directly with the requestor to make things right.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the school district, but did not receive a response.
The flyer was produced by Hillsdale College, as illustrated on the back of the pamphlet, which also displayed the disclaimer from the Anchorage School District.
Alaska Attorney General Stephen J. Cox also weighed in on the disclaimer on the pamphlet, calling the school district’s actions “deeply concerning.”
“The Declaration of Independence and Constitution are foundational American documents, and it is essential to teach students about the birth of our nation, their rights, and the government’s duty to protect those rights, Cox told Fox News Digital. “The stickers only invite confusion about these founding documents.”
The packet was handed out to students across Anchorage Public Schools. (iStock)
“Shortly after the news broke, the School District took ownership, apologized, and promised corrective action,” Cox added. “The Law Department and the Department of Education and Early Development have followed up with the District with specific questions, but in a spirit of cooperation, we have offered to help review ASD’s policies and procedures to ensure it never happens again.”
Following the backlash and public spotlight on the flyer, the spokesperson from the Anchorage School District told Anchorage Daily News that the district is reviewing the process to ensure it doesn’t happen again and that the “founding documents are taught in every school and reflect the values we want every student to understand.”
Hillsdale College did not respond to a request for comment.
Preston Mizell is a writer with Fox News. Story tips can be sent to Preston.Mizell@fox.com and on X @MizellPreston.
