Nov. 2 Letters: Our Readers’ Opinions

Vote to back public ed

Idaho’s Legislative District 2 includes Clearwater, Shoshone and Benewah counties, eastern Kootenai County and three precincts in Bonner County.

Let’s vote for public education defenders to represent District 2 in the Idaho Legislature.

Vote for Tom Hearn, Democrat, senator; Loree Peery, Democrat, representative 2A; and Tami Holdahl, independent, representative 2B.

Hearn, Peery and Holdahl support public education and have already been serving the people of north central Idaho in evenhanded and respectful ways.

Our K-12 public schools are backbones of Idaho’s rural communities providing required curriculum, family-based activities, sports and services. Public schools strengthen our communities.

Idaho’s public colleges and vocational schools are active and full. County extension programs from the University of Idaho provide agricultural and forestry programs as well as 4-H in the rural counties of District 2.

The Idaho Republican platform has a plank against taxpayer funding beyond K-12.

On school and college boards, the far right’s agenda has been to sabotage public education systems from within, following an out-of-state playbook.

Look at North Idaho College or the West Bonner School District. Destructive board members put qualified personnel under siege and the schools in peril.

Idaho’s hard right legislators financially drain public schools, restrict curriculum and ignore public testimony. They fail to represent the majority or respect the role of public education.

Vote for competent District 2 legislators who will represent the voters and fight for Idaho’s schools. Vote for Hearn, Peery and Holdahl.

Sandra Goffinet

Orofino