Forum for May 2, 2025: Dartmouth’s donations

Bill Hamlen came to many erroneous conclusions after establishing — through his statistical analysis of political donations — that Dartmouth faculty are mainly Democrats (“All but a few political donations from Dartmouth go to Democrats”; April 23). He never mentions PACS and super PACS that do not ask for donors’ professional affiliation, so we have no way of collecting precise statistics about political donations made by anyone. Second, let’s not place all Democrats (or Republicans for that matter) under one homogeneous ideological umbrella. The slippage between “progressive” and “Democrat” is annoying. Similarly, are all Republicans religious fanatics? Third, he claims that Republican faculty choose to “self-censor” to “protect their careers,” yet he has no evidence to back this up. He interviews one faculty member who tried to be open about his Republican beliefs — although Hamlen wrote “conservative” which is not the same as “Republican.” There’s that slippage again. He sidetracks to claim that students showed “intellectual maturity” when asking about “internships and job opportunities” as proof that right-leaning faculty are shut-down the moment they open up about their political beliefs. Those of us with PhDs are trained to think critically, backing up claims with evidence resulting from serious research. That might explain why we tend to vote for the party that supports this approach to thinking and research. Meanwhile, he wants more “academic freedom and open discourse.” So yeah, we vote for the party which now more than ever embraces the very thing he is whining about: academic freedom and open discourse. His party is shutting those down. Books, word usage in scientific findings and professional fact-checking journalists are all being censored or silenced to put an end to debate. How’s that for “intellectual maturity?”

Column: What we think we know about autism

By LINDA MULLEY

Fifty years ago, I met my first young child with autism in a small, private (no cost) school in Woodstock dedicated to serving children who either lived at home with their families or, usually at the advice of their doctors, were sent to Brandon Training School (originally known as the Vermont State School for Feeble Minded Children: 1915-1993). Public school education was not an option in the ’70s and for another decade, even with legislation in place, not a reality.

Column: Reform bill would close small Vermont schools

By JOHN O’BRIEN

The bill H. 454, “An act relating to transforming Vermont’s education governance, quality, and finance systems,” which recently passed the House, has this vision of transformation: Shut South Royalton Elementary school, shut Bethel Elementary, shut First Branch in Tunbridge and First Branch in Chelsea, too, shut Stockbridge Elementary, shut Rochester Elementary, shut Sharon Elementary, shut Newton School in Strafford, and for good measure, shut White River Valley Middle School in Bethel and White River Valley High School in South Royalton. The White River Valley Supervisory Union? Shutter that too. The bill aims for an ideal: All school districts would have no fewer than 4,000 students and all schools would have no fewer than 400 students.

Forum for May 1, 2025: Public media

Healthy communities stand on a foundation of trust. Trust springs from knowing your neighbors and their concerns, knowing that officials and institutions are honest and reliable, and knowing there are forums where your voice can be heard. Trustworthy information is vital in emergencies. Trustworthy journalism is essential when change comes so fast it’s hard to keep up.

A Yankee Notebook: Surfing the web to a dream of the ocean

By WILLEM LANGE

The tips of my tamaracks are starting to turn green, the coltsfoot is in bloom, and a phoebe is singing in the brook bed below the kitchen. The sun is out, and if the thermometer goes up another five degrees, I’ll fire up old Helga (my 27-year-old silver BMW roadster) and let her out of the barn for her first run of 2025. In spite of the strong snow shower of last week, it’s probably safe to say that spring appears to be here.

Forum for April 29, 2025: A call for peace

Quakers oppose war and violence in all its forms. We believe in the divine worth of every person and our commitment to human dignity is unwavering.

Column: It isn’t easy to be on the side of peace

By WAYNE GERSEN

Over the past several days, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about Palestinian student Mohsen Mahdawi from the talks and interviews he has given locally and nationally. Unfortunately, the media coverage outside the Upper Valley has focused more on his advocacy for Palestinians than on his pacifism. Mahdawi ultimately stepped away from the disruptive elements of the Columbia University protests based on Buddhist principles he embraced to help deal with the suffering he experienced growing up in refugee camps.

Forum for April 29, 2025: Debating Gaza

These days, there are so many objectionable things happening in the world around us. People of conscience everywhere are in crisis, trying to find the best way forward in an terrifying environment of fascist repression. One recent example is the recent detention of Upper Valley resident Mohsen Mahdawi, merely for using his voice to oppose the genocide of his own people in Palestine.

Column: If Vermont wants a future of abundance, we must choose to build

By MIRO WEINBERGER

If you’ve turned on a podcast, watched a late-night show, or scrolled social media in the past month, you’ve probably heard something about “Abundance,” the new book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson. The thesis is simple yet powerful: America, especially in blue states, has over decades created systems that prioritize stopping things rather than building them. We’ve become experts at saying no.

Forum for April 28, 2025: All abilities

While approximately 24% of Vermonters identify as disabled — a statistic that holds true nationwide — ignorance, stereotypes, discomfort and fear regarding the experiences of people with disabilities prevent widespread change. As deaf activist Cat Romero writes, “While the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has led to major changes for the disability community, one law cannot change the attitudes of everyone in our nation.”

A Solitary Walker: Sharing from the big tree of life

By MICKI COLBECK

My ears perk up these mornings as the little brown dogs and I hike along the Ompompanoosuc River, for now is the season of surprises when the birds, species by species, arrive from the south saying, “Hey, we’re back. Gonna sing a song, find a female, have some chicks.” That’s when I forgo responsibilities around the house and become a bird listener.

Column: A book list for the president

By JONATHAN STABLEFORD

In an era of censorship and blacklisting, President Trump may need help finding the right book to take with him to bed after an exhausting day. He hasn’t asked for my advice, but with the two of us sharing a common humanity and nearly the same age, I have prepared a modest list of books to take him places he doesn’t go in a normal day.

Editorial: Vermont judge defends free speech

U.S. District Judge William K. Sessions III of Vermont has performed a public service as well as his judicial duty by clarifying the nature of the Trump administration’s lawless campaign of abduction, detention and deportation of international students studying at American universities.

Forum for April 26, 2025: A familiar scenario

On June 30, 1934, my mother, 9½ years old, watched as four unidentified SS men and a plainclothes official arrived at her family’s Munich apartment and arrested and removed her father. There was no warrant, no explanation, not even a chance to gather his identity papers.

Forum for April 25, 2025: Free speech at Dartmouth

As alumni of Dartmouth College, we are deeply disturbed by Trump Administration efforts to chill free speech on college campuses, to restrict academic freedom by arresting students for exercising their right to free expression and to withhold funds from schools that teach courses on subjects contrary to the views of the administration. We are troubled by the apparent willingness of college leaders to acquiesce, and we are concerned that recent statements from Dartmouth President Sian Beilock calling for “restraint in speaking out on current events unrelated to our academic mission” reflects timidity in the face of Trump Administration pressure. There is nothing more closely related to Dartmouth’s academic mission than academic freedom, and little that calls more loudly for unrestrained opposition.

Column: Supervisory union opposes bill approved by Vermont House

Members of the White River Valley Supervisory Union Board have written a letter to the Vermont School Boards Association (VSBA) and Vermont Superintendents Association (VSA).

Column: At Dartmouth, 98.9% of faculty political donations go to Democrats. That’s a problem.

By BILL HAMLEN

When I ask friends across the political spectrum to guess what percentage of Dartmouth College faculty donate to Democrats versus Republicans, they typically land somewhere between 70% and 90% Democratic. That would make sense. Dartmouth has historically been one of the more conservative institutions in the Ivy League. But the real numbers are far more dramatic.

A Yankee Notebook: The first bright weekend in a dark spring

By WILLEM LANGE

Both my friend Bea and I have functioning automobiles, which is fortunate, because we live (when you factor in stops for coffee, washroom, or gasoline) about four hours apart. We pretty much trade weekends for travel, and get together about twice a month. She’s still teaching, so vacations are a pretty big deal.

Forum for April 23, 2025: It could get worse

I am very careful where I get my news reports, how much I follow the news, and what I believe. In spite of my quality controls, it just keeps getting worse.

Editorial: Free speech detentions reach into Upper Valley

So now the war comes home, as wars always do. This time it’s the dirty war that the American government is waging against immigrants, international students and the rule of law. And home is the heart of the Upper Valley.