I am writing as the faculty co-chair of the Hanover High School Mascot Committee and in response to a recent letter from a community member (“Marauder mascot madness,” April 8).
We understand that the mascot change is a big one for our community. We genuinely appreciate all of the students, staff and community members who have been and continue to be involved in the process — no matter their particular perspective. Hearing from a diversity of voices has made our plans better.
Here’s where we’re at now: Our professional vetting team has reviewed all of the mascot design submissions, and the designs that followed the guidelines will soon be put to a vote before HHS students, staff and coaches.
Yet there’s still work to be done! All members of the community are welcome to attend our weekly committee meetings: Thursdays at 11 a.m. in Room 310 at HHS. This is the venue (along with council meetings on Wednesdays at 11 a.m. in the auditorium) where mascot-related decisions are made.
Of course, not everyone can make these times; if community members would like to speak with me directly to discuss the process so far or to express an opinion they’d like voiced during a committee meeting, I’d be more than happy to meet or chat with you. I can be reached directly via email at
jasonhirschhorn@hanovernorwichschools.org. In addition, information about the committee’s work — along with a detailed description of why this mascot change is an empathetic, positive one — is available at linktr.ee/hhsmascot.
Finally, I want to underscore the importance to our community that the previous letter writer placed on the Upper Valley Haven. Simply put, they do incredible, essential work. I am in wholehearted agreement with the letter writer’s proposal for an annual fundraiser with donations matched by HHS alums. Indeed, another community member recently made a similar suggestion about raising money for the Kilham Bear Center, which would align with our new mascot. Both of these ideas and organizations are outstanding ones, and I will encourage our committee to consider them.
Jason Hirschhorn
Hanover
Public education in New Hampshire and nationally is under siege. New Hampshire’s aggressive tactics in diminishing public education are earning increasing national news coverage. As a graduate of a public school, vocal supporter of public education and a school board chair, I am writing this letter to express my personal opinion.
It is painful to watch how rapidly public education is being eroded with seemingly little reaction from beneficiaries and supporters. I believe one of the most significant contributing factors to the precarious state of our public education system is voter apathy. The critics and disrupters appear to have no opposition.
The few who show up to vote in local elections or town meetings decide how 100% of the town taxes are spent. The recent slashing of the school budget by 20 attendees at Town Meeting in Croydon is an extreme example of the issue of voter apathy.
The Croydon situation has been building in public view with support from the Statehouse for years. Those 20 people who showed up that day could dramatically accelerate change in New Hampshire public education. The potential ramifications of the Croydon budget reduction could be wide-reaching and swift. If you care about public education, get involved. Ongoing voter apathy will hasten its rapid decline.
Democracy is a myth without participants. It relies on engagement, showing up, discussion of different ideas, participating, voting. While I personally don’t agree with the path chosen by the majority of voters that day in Croydon, I respect that they were the majority that showed up, and they got to make that choice.
If you support public education, it needs you to show up, be engaged, learn, and most importantly, vote. There is no voice in a democracy louder than a voter in a voting booth or with an absentee ballot, quietly filling it out. If you care, get involved. If you choose to not be informed, be engaged, or vote, please don’t complain about the results.
The contents of this letter are my sole personal and individual opinions as a voter, in no way speaking for anyone else.
Jesse Tyler
Sunapee
Jesse Tyler is chair of the Sunapee School Board.