Homer lawmaker apologizes for response to student letters

HOMER, Alaska (AP) — A Kenai Peninsula legislator has apologized for criticizing messages from high school students who protested proposed school funding cuts.

The Homer News reports Homer Republican Rep. Sarah Vance acknowledged that she talked about postcards received from Homer High School students in a way that caused them pain.

The Homer High student council organized a letter-writing effort after receiving information on how Gov. Mike Dunleavy's budget could affect the district.

Vance in response posted a video that took issue with both the form and content of the letters. She said not one message properly addressed her as "Representative Vance."

She said schools need to focus on academia and not extracurricular activities that might be lost with budget cuts, and that schools were missing something if students were having trouble communicating well with their leaders.