As a lifelong resident of Alpena, and a retired teacher of APS, I strongly urge you to support Sarah Fritz, Anna Meinhardt, Tom Hilberg, and Ned Heath in our upcoming school board election. We need school board members who will work to support all students in our district, no matter their race or gender. In addition to this, they need to value our teachers and our school staff. The role of a school board member is to be a staunch advocate for our public schools. They need to hold the conviction that public education is important and demonstrate a willingness to work with our educational system, not against it. As a school board member, they need to have the capacity to listen and communicate thoughtfully with students, parents, and staff. In order to do this, they need to have the right temperament to respond accordingly and appropriately through challenging issues. All four of these candidates have demonstrated that they have these qualities.

We cannot allow our school board election to be based on a political party or in support of a specific contingency. Politics do not belong in our school system. Do not be swayed by other candidates who are spreading a false narrative in order to instill fear in our community and gain votes. Our schools deserve better than to become a political pawn.

I encourage you to attend the upcoming forum put on by the League of Women Voters, where you can educate yourself on each candidate. We need people on our board who recognize what an outstanding school system we have, and to celebrate its accomplishments rather than tear it down. I believe that these four candidates value our school system and will work to support its continued success.

CHERIE HONEYCUTT,

Alpena