The Oct. 16 issue of The Alpena News carried an opinion piece titled, “We need new school ideas,” by Molly Macek. She represents the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, an organization that advocates for limited government and free-market approaches to public policy. Macek suggests that public education is failing. The “new school ideas” she offers are private schools, charter schools, and homeschooling. In other words, take the “public” out of education.

Considering that Macek represents a special interest group that seeks to shrink government and privatize public services, this should not surprise us. What does cause some consternation is that three of the candidates for Alpena County’s school board are endorsed by a group with a similar agenda. The Northeast Michigan League of Conservative Education is a political action group that advocates for vouchers, charter schools, and homeschooling. Why would they be supporting three candidates for a public school board?

One would assume that people seeking to gain control over a public school system would be intent on strengthening and improving our schools. Why then would they accept endorsement from a group that seeks to weaken Alpena Public Schools?

I’m voting for Gordon Snow and Renee Fisher.

THE REV. TOM DOWNS,

Alpena