Concord
The Republican-led Executive Council voted along party lines on Wednesday to confirm Frank Edelblut, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu’s pick to oversee the state’s public schools. Edelblut’s nomination sparked fierce public debate, mirroring the outcry over President Donald Trump’s nomination of school choice advocate and wealthy GOP donor Betsy DeVos to lead the federal education department.
Edelblut’s backers said his business background will be an asset to the department and that he’ll strengthen both traditional public schools and alternative options. But critics charge he is unqualified for the job and may undermine public education.
“I see this as an individual that lacks the experience and qualifications, but comes with a long list of political liabilities,” Democratic Executive Councilor Chris Pappas said.
Edelblut said he has no intention of undermining schools, and will simply implement policies set by the Board of Education and lawmakers.
“We all have the same goal, which is really making sure that the New Hampshire school system is the best that it can be for our students,” Edelblut said after the vote.
As a gubernatorial candidate last fall, he championed more “personalized learning” and, as a legislator, he supported allowing some towns to use tax dollars to send students to private schools. He’s served as a board member of a college that espouses a Biblical world view and declined to say whether he’ll continue to engage in political activities as commissioner.
Republican councilors who backed him said they understand the public’s concerns but believe Edelblut is the right man for the job.
“We’re going to hold him accountable, we’re going to make sure he doesn’t get off the track, that he’s there for one purpose, to make the public education system the best it can be and also look at other alternative ways to educate our kids,” said Executive Councilor Joe Kenney, R-Wakefield. “If he succeeds, we all succeed. If he fails, we all fail.”
The confirmation vote came a day after the state board told Sununu it shared the public’s concerns about Edelblut’s qualifications. State law says the education commissioner “shall be qualified to hold their positions by reason of education and experience.”
“He’s never been on a board, he’s never attended a parent meeting in schools … how does he have this wealth of experience with public education that he’s going to bring to the rest of the state?” state Board of Education member Cindy Chagnon asked Sununu on Tuesday. “It seems like there’s a disconnect.”
Sununu has defended Edelblut as an innovative thinker and a skilled businessman who is well-versed in education policy and will offer teachers and schools greater flexibility. He’s called Edelblut’s background home schooling his children an asset, because he understands alternative methods of education.
“There’s this idea that public education’s going to be blown up and drastically changed,” Sununu said to the state education board the day before the vote. “No. I think Frank will be the first one to say we have a great foundation here, a great foundation. It’s just taking that foundation and moving onto the next levels.”