On March 23, the governor and council have an opportunity to save public education and potentially reduce our property tax burden by refusing to reappoint Frank Edelblut as commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of (Public) Education. Here is what I sent to the governor and council members: “Dear Gov. Ayotte and council members, I urge you not to reappoint Commissioner Edelblut as the head of the New Hampshire Department of Education. During his tenure, he has done more to destroy public education than any previous commissioners. He has let his personal religion and disdain for public education beliefs cripple our excellent system of education for New Hampshire’s children. In addition, he has continued to re-write history and frighten hard working and dedicated teachers with his “Freedom” legislation and robbed the Educational Trust Fund to give wealthy households access to vouchers originally earmarked to assist low-income parents to pay for their children desiring to go to a different school. Masses of data show that not only is the original intent a failure but it has also further moved the cost of educational services onto towns. As recent school board meetings throughout the state have shown, the public is both angry and aware of the pain he has caused and correctly point the finger at the state for our huge increases in property taxes. Edelblut’s reappointment would show everyone that our state is anti-public education. Please appoint someone who believes in public education, the foundation of our democracy.”

Susan McKevitt

Bradford