Fairbanks School Board president apologizes to Interior legislators for rumor-mongering

Brandy Harty, the president of the Fairbanks North Star School District who shared a rumor during a public meeting earlier this month in which she accused lawmakers of taking bribes, has issued a formal apology to Interior lawmakers.

The apology came after Republican lawmakers sent a letter to the school board asking for an apology from Harty and suggesting that Harty step down as school board president after on March 19 she had said on the record that she heard a rumor that Republican state lawmakers had exchanged their votes for campaign contributions of $70,000.

That would be a federal crime, had it occurred. What happened was that several Republican lawmakers sided with Gov. Mike Dunleavy in his override of a massive education spending bill that was a blank check to school districts, without asking for any accountability in return. The governor had been clear that he wanted teacher retention bonuses and increased authorization for charter schools, but that was stripped out of the bill before it passed, and he decided to put his foot down.

In her letter, Harty said she is a passionate advocate for public education and that she misspoke.

“As the President of the Fairbanks North Star Borough School Board and a passionate advocate for public education, I acknowledge and apologize for my recent statement made during my President’s report at the Tuesday, March 19 school board regular meeting,” Harty wrote.

Harty appears to believe that the governor, who spent decades as a school teacher, superintendent, and school board member, doesn’t share the same passion for education.

“In my disappointment regarding the impact of the failed veto override of SB 140, I unintentionally misspoke. For that, I apologize to Rep. Frank Tomaszewski, Rep. Will Stapp, Rep. Mike Prax, Rep. Mike Cronk, and Sen. Robert Myers. This is my second year on the school board and my first term serving as an elected official. I know I am going to make mistakes, and I have no issue owning up to them when they happen,” she wrote.

“I remain resolute in my commitment to the well-being and success of our Fairbanks schools. Access to quality education is a constitutional obligation of the state, and I will continue to advocate tirelessly to ensure that our schools receive the resources they need to thrive. As a teacher, mother of two elementary-aged children, and a military wife, my only agenda is for Fairbanks to have the best education system we possibly can,” Harty wrote.

The Fairbanks North Star School Board has scheduled a special meeting for 5:30 pm March 28, with online access information available at this link.

The agenda item is: “Board member relations and conduct. This meeting may include a possible executive session with legal counsel to discuss attorney/client communications or matters which may tend to prejudice the reputation and character of a person, provided that person may request a public discussion.”

Find the Zoom online meeting link here.

Where did Fairbanks school board president get the idea 3 legislators had been bribed with $70,000?