Sarah Heath, who later become Mrs. Todd Palin, had a hard time finding a college she liked, according to a report from the Associated Press. After high school, Sarah sampled schools like a cruise passenger samples the buffet. She went back for seconds on only one, the University of Idaho, where she finally graduated in 1987.
When the news agency contacted the schools, they were prevented by privacy laws from viewing her academic records. The most astounding finding, however, might be that no one else had asked about the alumna.
…none of the schools contacted by The Associated Press could say why she transferred. There was no indication any were contacted as part of the background investigation of Palin by presidential candidate John McCain’s campaign.
“Our office was not contacted by anyone,” said Tania Thompson, spokeswoman for the University of Idaho in Moscow.
Palin’s higher ed journey ended in Idaho, where she was born before her family moved to Alaska when she was a few months old. The rest follows.
- University of Hawaii at Hilo in 1982. Left after a few weeks “because of the constant rain.”
- Hawaii Pacific University in Honolulu, a private, nonsectarian school. Attended as a freshman in the fall of 1982 in the business administration program.
- North Idaho College, a two-year school in Coeur d’Alene. Stayed two semesters, in spring 1983 and fall 1983, as a general studies major.
- University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho from fall 1984 to spring 1985.
- Matanuska-Susitna College in Palmer, Alaska in fall 1985.
- University of Idaho in spring 1986, fall 1986 and spring 1987, when she graduated with a degree in journalism.
At none of the schools did anyone specifically remember Sarah Heath — no professors, no former classmates. She wasn’t listed as a member of any club or organization, nor was the journalism major on the staff of the college newspaper or campus television station.
There’s something odd about Sarah Palin and I suspect that before it’s all over, we will be able to put our fingers on it. In the meantime, we’ll just keep peeling that onion.
This may seem odd on the surface, but I don’t see anything particularly unusual about this. I am as repulsed about the Republican ticket as anyone, so keep peeling.
However, we must be careful not to report trivial things, like Palin’s being caught fishing without a license, to Tood Palin’s arrest for DUI 22 years ago. These are insignificant issues which the neo-cons will blow up to make us look petty. This school issue could also be one of those trivialities.
That being said, let’s still keep peeling, but be careful what we report.
Proof she has more foreign policy experience than Obama! She went to college in Moscow!
Sarah Palin’s college experience doesn’t strike me as unusual, except that she made the long trek to Hawaii and back to the northwest. She graduated in eight semesters, four of which were at the University of Idaho, so she must have been making standard progress toward the degree. It looks like she had little loyalty to the two-year schools. There’s nothing unusual about that; they’re often considered just good places to pick up credits for less money. She went back home for a semester in Alaska — so what? I have to hand it to her, too, because she must have done a good job choosing courses that would transfer to the University of Idaho.
She took off two Spring semesters. I wonder why, and I wonder what she did until the next fall. What kinds of jobs did she have?
Also, I am not a fan of Palin.