Beth Fox: It's time to say thanks to local government with our votes

To The Daily Sun,

Communities across New Hampshire deserve one huge pat on the back for achievement. This summer, a national survey (the Annie Casey Foundation called Kids Count) rated NH No. 2 in child well-being. Gov. Chris Sununu announced his pleasure: Our investments in mental health and public education have delivered results for children and families.

Looking closely, it is community and local control that deserve the credit, rather than the state. Towns and schools are connected, with teachers knowing families, and families working with schools, connections that are a top source of child well-being.

Towns have worked hard for decades to provide the best education they can afford, and they know how every dollar is spent. This is parental rights in action, the home-grown kind. It’s called parent involvement and community involvement — it has been here all the time, working in the background, especially in small-town New Hampshire. Not perfect, but always making progress.

Given that state funding for public education has declined in the last 20 years (NH is last in the nation for state funding of public schools) — it is surprising New Hampshire achieved this No. 2 rating. It shows how much communities, families and taxpayers have invested in their local schools. At a time when state government is turning more of its share of the funding to private sources, we need to tell all candidates running for office this year just how important public schools are to us with our vote.

Beth Fox

Wolfeboro