I’ve spent most of my life advocating for students. As a sixth grade teacher, principal, and director of curriculum and instruction and now as a state representative and education advocate, I’ve seen the challenges facing our students and communities — the biggest being that our school system does not provide opportunities for all students. The quality of the education they receive depends upon where they are from. We need to fix that.
One candidate understands this. Sen. Elizabeth Warren knows the opportunities public schools can offer — if they are adequately funded. She is a graduate of public schools and has been a public school teacher. She knows how important resources are to ensure every student gets a high-quality education. And she just released a plan to do exactly that.
Her public education plan is funded by her proposed wealth tax on incomes above $50 million. Under her plan, $100 billion would go toward “Excellence Grants” to allow schools to invest in what they need most. School leaders are acutely aware of where they want to improve, and Warren’s plan puts power in the school’s hands.
Her plan would dedicate more than $50 billion to school infrastructure. After a nearly decade-long moratorium on school building aid, these funds would help make New Hampshire’s schools a safe and healthy learning environment.
And Warren will fight to stop discrimination, segregation and profiteering in our schools. Her administration will strictly enforce the right to a public education for students with disabilities, protect LGBTQ+ and ELL students, and defend immigrant students and their families.
She’s also stood up against for-profit colleges and charter schools that take advantage of students, and against attempts to privatize our public education system.
All of these reforms will move us toward a more equitable education system in which our schools are adequately funded, our teachers have the resources they need and our kids get a quality education. Elizabeth Warren has earned a gold star. I’ll be voting for her in the primary, and I hope you will join me.
SUSAN FORD
Easton, N.H.
The writer represents the Grafton 3 district in the New Hampshire House.
I had the pleasure of serving a Listen community dinner recently as part of my involvement in Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s campaign. Buttigieg is encouraging all of his campaign offices to get involved in community service. This is the second Listen event we have participated in this fall.
It felt so good to be serving my community on the ground level while working for Buttigieg. I’ve heard him speak of building coalitions and belonging many times now, and he emphasizes working in our own communities, so this was our putting his values into action. This was actually the first community supper I have worked on in the Upper Valley and it was so gratifying. The community was so grateful and appreciative, it made us feel like a million bucks. And we weren’t expert cooks but knew how to laugh and have fun (another of Buttigieg’s values).
If you want to join us, contact Chris Gundermann, the organizer for Lebanon, Enfield, Canaan and Plainfield, at cgundermann@peteforamerica.com. It feels so good to be working for positive change.
ELLEN HOLLYDAY
Lebanon
“Quid pro quo.” Is this the same as, “One hand washes the other”?
T. BOWEN
Lebanon