letter to the editor

An open letter to Alna

Tue, 02/27/2018 - 9:00am

Dear Editor:

I had no intention of debating the school choice referendum through letters to the editor, but it seems like this is getting out of hand. Before I started the petition, I asked the RSU superintendent and the RSU lawyer to review the wording, because I wanted all current residents protected. They agreed that it is legal and it means exactly what it says: No child now in Alna will lose any right to a private education and every child arriving after the vote can go to any public school they want, K-8, and any high school they want — public or private.

If you attended the selectmen’s meetings last year, or even just read their meeting notes, you would have seen how much time they spent chasing down cases of fraud, or just abuse, of private school choice. That is why they support a yes vote.

Doesn’t it seem to be time to take a deep breath and make up your mind based on actual facts? Fear-based attacks, innuendos, and false information just sew discord and have no place in our little town. This issue needs to be calmly and neighborly discussed at the public hearing on March 5 and the ballot box on March 23.

Thanks for your attention.

Ralph Hilton

Alna