Letter: Support for board candidates

I am a Republican currently serving my third term on the Carlisle School Board; I am also a veteran, military spouse and proud parent of two CHS graduates. It grieves me to see Carlisle’s schools, and most egregiously, our students, used as pawns in the political battleground plaguing our nation. School boards are designed to be nonpartisan governing bodies, balancing the educational requirements of students and staff with the needs of the community. I serve with board members Paula Bussard, Bruce Clash, Jerry Eby and Jon Tarrant. I respect them as balanced, thoughtful individuals who fully grasp this concept of nonpartisan governance and prioritizing students over agendas. They hold our teachers and staff in utmost regard as the highly educated, highly trained and incredibly dedicated professionals they are. These candidates are fiscally responsible, examining all angles of the annual budget, holding the administration’s feet to the fire to find cost-cutting avenues while not sacrificing student needs. They have voted to keep tax increases below the index for several years in a row. They volunteer in classrooms and community organizations. They are proud of the Carlisle school community they serve - its parents, teachers and staff, and the most precious of all, its students. Political agendas, which include local politicians injecting their priorities into our children’s lives, are not what I believe conservatives should support in our schools. This brand of intrusion is an affront to me as someone who values individual rights, and it should deeply concern parents. Join me in maintaining respect, effective nonpartisan governance, and logical, sensible priorities. Keep political chaos out of the classroom. Vote for the Citizens for Carlisle Schools: Bussard, Clash, Eby, Shane and Tarrant.

Anne Lauritzen

Dickinson Township

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