To the editor:
An open letter to our executive councilor:
Dear Councilor Wheeler:
Please look objectively at the nomination of Frank Edelblut to be commissioner of education. This is not the time for political loyalty; it is a time to look at the requirements and responsibilities of the position, its implications for the children of New Hampshire, and the qualifications and experience of the nominee.
I ran against Mr. Edelblut in 2014 in the D38 state representative election. While we fundamentally disagreed on the issues, I respected him as a highly motivated and skilled campaigner, a hard worker, one committed to conservative principles. He obviously continued his hard work in the Legislature and made a name for himself in the primary election for governor. He was a gracious loser, and Mr. Sununu is now rewarding him with this nomination.
The problem is that, beyond his own schooling, he has no experience in education and advocates for positions, such as vouchers and financial support of private and parochial schools, that will ultimately be detrimental to our public schools. As a Hillsborough-Deering school board member, I appreciate parental input and local control. However, I also recognize professional expertise, the role of educational research in setting standards, and the importance of state and federal government in providing both the guidelines and resources to ensure that every student can receive an excellent education.
I urge you and your colleagues on the Executive Council to encourage the governor to nominate an educational leader to this important position.
Steven L. Hahn
Hillsborough