What will these guys do on school board?, ALEXANDER P. LEE, Concord - Letter

This "hampster" (a new term to me) was shocked to see that we have two men running for the Concord School Board who might not think public education is a good idea.

"I would like to see more competition, more things like charter schools," says one candidate, Seth Cohn, the Web designer for the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance, who just moved here last year from Oregon. This paper reported that he wants more flexibility in the city's education system.

Has he been here long enough to know that we have one of the best public school systems in the state? Our "state schools," as the Free Staters like to call them, are excellent.

Also, we have good private school competition: St. Paul's and Bishop Brady, to name just two within the city limits. These are not affordable options for most families, though. Undermining Concord's public education system is not going to make Derryfield, Tilton or any of our area private schools more affordable.

"This is a nonpartisan race, so my political connection is immaterial," said Norman Bernier, the other candidate about whom I have concerns.

He may be unwilling to tell this paper how long he has lived here and whether he is a member of the Free State Project, but if he is running because he thinks there are a lot of things wrong with Concord schools or the Jeffersonian concept of public education, he does not have my support.

I would like to hear what these two gentlemen intend to do with the power they seek. If strengthening our public education system is not at the top of the list, they would do better to submit their names for board positions at a private or charter school of their choosing and try to push that school to offer a tuition that most people can afford.

ALEXANDER P. LEE

Concord