Donald Trump’s choice of Betsy DeVos for secretary of education signals his intent to change the governance and funding of public education.
DeVos’ vision is to close down “government schools” and provide parents with vouchers to enroll children in schools of their choice, including sectarian private schools and deregulated for-profit charter schools. Parents could use these vouchers, underwritten by tax dollars that would otherwise go toward public schools, to enroll their children in schools that are not overseen by elected school boards and are not subject to regulations developed by state boards or state legislatures.
This “market-based” model would result in greater inequities in opportunities and erode the democratic governance of schools.
DeVos has no background in public education. She is essentially a billionaire lobbyist who has spent huge sums of money on schemes designed to divert funds from public schools. If she is confirmed as secretary of education, DeVos would be able to write and implement federal regulations that would open the floodgates for the expansion of deregulated for-profit charter chains across the country, thereby diminishing the control of state and local school boards.
Please urge our legislators to forcefully oppose her appointment.
Wayne Gersen Etna
The writer is a former SUA 70 superintendent.
America needs to chill out. The election is over — let it go. The sky is not falling; Trump is not going to send armored troops door to door rounding up everyone who is not a straight Christian white male to be reprogrammed.
The president doesn’t determine our values as a society. We the people do. We may not like the fact that Trump won the election, but it’s a clear sign that the people wanted real change, for better or worse. It’s uncharted territory for the next four years; the political model that we’ve known for so long has been turned on its ear.
We can either spend this time productively redefining who we are as a country, or spend it creating even deeper divides. Instead of protesting and saying woe is us, go out and do something productive for society. Teach your children the value of human life. Instead of seeing differences in people, look for similarities. Stand up for the little guy. Speak up. Set the example. As Edmund Burke wrote, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
To those who hide under the cover of night spraypainting swastikas, or under a white hood, or behind a keyboard spewing hate: If you think this election’s results somehow gave you license to come out from under your rock to push your ignorance, you’re wrong. There’s a reason you choose to express your opinion from a place of anonymity: You are cowards and know deep down that your behavior has no place in this country. “Intolerance is itself a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic spirit.” — Mahatma Gandhi
Jeff PeckWest Lebanon
An Alternative for Alcoholism
For people suffering from alcohol use disorder, there is now great hope that they can once again lead normal lives without the severe cravings that cause relapse after relapse.
The Sinclair Method for treating this terrible brain disorder is now available throughout New England via clinics called Contral Clinics of New England. This treatment is evidence-based with over a hundred stud ies published and a proven 78 percent long-term rate of success. It is accomplished using outpatient support, so there’s no need to enter hospitals for detox or to enter an expensive rehab center. Constantly attending meetings is also not required (all of this is only 10 to 15 percent successful, according to the World Health Organization and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
The Sinclair Method uses naltrexone, a generic and nonaddictive medication. It has been in use in Europe for some 15 years now and has saved and turned around tens of thousands of lives. There are already some clinics and doctors using this treatment in Florida, New York, Kentucky and Arizona.
But the big news is that now it is available in New England. Two Massachusetts doctors who became knowledgeable about the Sinclair Method recently opened Contral Clinics of New England. I urge anyone suffering with alcohol use disorder and families of those suffering with this disorder go to contralnewengland.com to see why and how this evidence-based treatment works and learn about the background of these doctors and their staff.
As a retired registered nurse with 53 years of bedside nursing experience, I feel confident that it will be the subject of national news before long and that the end is now in sight for alcohol use disorder, much like polio and other health afflictions that received evidence-based treatment and cures.
Jackie Smith Sunapee
Support the Book Angels
The Book Angels at the Norwich Bookstore are once again gathering new books for children and young adults in our community.
Dedicated volunteers work with several local nonprofit service agencies to develop a wish list of books for young readers. Each request is noted on a paper angel hung on a large wreath in the bookstore stairway. Some requests are general guidelines, such as, “Boy 3, loves trucks,” while others are quite specific: “the third Harry Potter.”
There are several ways to participate: stop by, choose an angel and a book that matches; select a book that is special to you and we’ll find an angel for it; or donate a dollar amount and we will find books to pair with requests.
The Norwich Bookstore will donate at least one book for every 10 purchased and we guarantee that no angel will leave empty-handed. We take care of gift-wrapping and sorting the books for delivery.
Most of the books are needed in early December so the care providers can distribute them in time for the holidays. Others are collected through mid-December for ongoing programs.
This year, we are working with The Family Place, Vermont Child and Family Services, The Haven and the Children’s Literacy Foundation.
We thank you all for supporting this generous local tradition!
Liza Bernard, Norwich Bookstore Norwich
Auction Helps Health Clinic
Area artists, craftspeople and merchants have joined together to help celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Good Neighbor Health Clinics by donating items for a benefit arts and crafts silent auction.
This silent auction truly offers something for everyone. Bidding can be done in person at the Good Neighbor Clinic at 70 N. Main St. in White River Junction or by phone by calling 802-295-1868.
A catalog of all the items can be downloaded from goodneighborhealthclinic.org, and information can be found on the clinic’s Facebook page.
The clinic is open today and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for viewing and bidding, and a final bid reception will be held from 5 to 7 Friday night in conjunction with White River’s First Friday events. We hope a many of our good neighbors will visit the clinic to see the diverse and delightful array of auction items and place bids. They will go far to help the Good Neighbor Health Clinics continue to offer medical and dental services so badly needed by people in our community who are without the resources to access care. A visit would also afford the opportunity to meet some of the volunteers who make things happen and to find out more about just how this clinic and its satellite locations provide a safety net for those in need in the Upper Valley.
Dana MichalovicExecutive Director Good Neighbor Health ClinicsWhite River Junction
More Coverage of Standing Rock
Valley News coverage of the situation at Standing Rock has been lacking. Other news sources have found this newsworthy: The New York Times, Bloomberg and now CBS news, but very little from the Valley News. The water protectors are putting their lives on the line in frozen North Dakota. Events are happening daily that should be considered national news. Please find the stories and publish them.
Stuart LevasseurRoyalton
I have just read that some people who have been diagnosed as allergic to antibiotics may not have that allergy. In 2005, after double knee replacement at DHMC, I was diagnosed as being “allergic to morphine” by two night nurses when I was feeling very itchy. At the same, I was removed from morphine (ouch), I begged them to remove the plastic sheet under me where I was feeling discomfort.
Recently I have been tested for several allergies and I thought to ask if I was indeed allergic to morphine. It is a great relief to know that if and when I need this medication, I will be able to have it without serious consequences. It was the plastic sheet that had caused my distress!
Do not allow someone to tell you that you are allergic to a medication if they are not an allergist by profession. It could be very important to your future medical care. I urge anyone who has been “diagnosed” with an allergy to antibiotics or other medications to do the same as I have and to make sure the diagnosis is correct.
Charlotte Metcalf Norwich
Why Choose Bottled Water?
This morning I brushed my teeth with tap water. Seems normal, right? But my wife and I just returned from a few weeks in South India where tap water is a risky gamble for giardia, typhoid, cholera and other interesting diseases.
There, as in much of the world, you don’t even rinse your toothbrush under the faucet. Here I can drink good water right out of the tap, and the freedom I feel makes me wonder why so many of us spend money to buy water that’s no better than water that’s nearly free. All of the processing, the plastic bottle manufacture, the transporting from plant to market to home, the disposal of plastic bottles, the energy to recycle — quite an unnecessary waste with a significant carbon footprint.
Producing bottled water is around 2,000 times more energy intensive than using tap water; it takes over 1.5 million barrels of oil per year to meet the demand. It’s perplexing.
Tom Kidder West Newbury