After returning from Alaska, Premier Dennis Fentie is firing back at the Whitehorse Elementary School Council's chair, saying he is misrepresenting facts with "voodoo math".

The premier met with Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin last week to renew the Alaska-Yukon Intergovernmental Accord, when school council chair Keith Halliday and treasurer Nils Clarke told the Star they wanted Fentie to explain education funding decisions, and not engage in a war of words.

The school council issued statements alleging the Yukon government has not been funding education equally, in relation to overall government spending, and referred to a $14.8-million spending gap compared to 2004 spending levels.

A letter from Halliday to Education Minister Patrick Rouble dated Feb. 8 said his council's concerns are supported by nine other area parent councils.

Both Fentie and Rouble shot back that Halliday's facts are wrong.

"We're at odds with Mr. Halliday, who is misrepresenting facts to parents," Fentie told reporters Monday afternoon. "This government will stand by its audited, public accounts."

Fentie attributed Halliday's woes to either "being ignorant of facts or politically motivated."

Halliday served as an advisor to former Liberal premier Pat Duncan, Fentie mentioned.

The numbers and charts presented by Halliday in his letter to Rouble "ignore that devolution took place ... which, of course, changes the ratios.

"It's unfortunate that Yukoners are being given misleading information."

Fentie also took issue with the debate being dragged out in the public arena, as opposed to more "appropriate ways, like due process." He said any minister makes himself available for discussions.

Halliday told the Star this morning that when his parent council asked for a meeting with Rouble, they were told he was "too busy for all of January to meet us."

Now that the debate has spilled out into the public, Halliday said, it is up to the government to justify its spending for the public, and all parents, to see.

"We'd like to see them explain why they've prioritized MLA pensions and 10 or 11 other department before public schools," he said.

Halliday said he and members of the parent council were "taken aback" by Fentie's personal attacks.

"This is parentally-motivated. I have four kids in school," said Halliday.

He said he would like to see Fentie spend more time focusing on education and "less time attacking parent volunteers."

Halliday said that while Fentie's attacks were against him personally, parents and teachers have approached him in recent days offering their support.

"Our council feels very positively about having raised this issue," he said.

As for the underlying concerns that education spending is not meeting demands, Fentie said his government has been, and will continue, to fund education as needed, which will be revealed in the upcoming budget.

Halliday said he wants to see Fentie "put his money where his mouth is."

The government has yet to announce a sitting date for the legislature's spring session.