Fairbanks financial planner Josh Church complains in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner that I quoted him out of context, but fails to give any specifics to back up his claim.

I did not quote him out of context.

Here is what I wrote on May 18, an opinion column in which I said that Church has extreme views on education and politics that he concealed from the public.

Church was the spokesman for the group Tammie Wilson created to oppose the education ballot proposition and to participate in the October municipal elections.

Church said he does not have extreme views on education and politics, that he never concealed his views from the public and that my column was an unfair personal attack.

I think it is best to allow Church to speak for himself in this situation, allowing readers to decide.

What follows are quotes in italics from his column taking issue with me, followed by some of the opinions I categorized as extreme.

“My comments on “authoritarianism” and other political statements express my views on broader political dynamics and do not diminish my commitment to positive and constructive local governance. I would be happy to engage in a thoughtful discussion on any of the out-of-context comments Mr. Cole finds concerning,” said Church.

“Mr. Cole accuses me of harboring ‘extreme views’ on education and politics, citing selective social media posts out of context. For instance, my criticism of current public education performance is grounded in observable data — Alaska’s low academic performance compared to other states. This is a call for accountability and improvement, not an attack on educators or students,” said Church.

“My advocacy for school choice and voucher systems stems from a desire to provide all parents with the best possible options for their children’s education. I believe in empowering parents to make decisions that best suit their children’s needs. This does not mean I oppose public education; rather, I support reforms that can enhance its effectiveness,” said Church.

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