Forum, Sept. 12: Byrne Foundation Has Helped Many

Thank you to staff writer John Lippman and the Valley News for recognizing and highlighting the incredible generosity of The Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation. The amount of money, $73 million, as well as the organizations and lives positively affected by their giving is staggering.

It is fitting that few know about the foundation as its goal has never been publicity but goodwill and stewardship, and to serve this community. The Upper Valley Nighthawks are particularly grateful as we received a significant gift that enabled us to launch in 2016 and another gift this year. I’m certain that we are not alone in saying, “Without the generosity of the Byrne Foundation, we would not exist.” There probably is not a single person in the Upper Valley who has not benefited from the Byrne Foundation’s support and generosity.

Noah Crane

General Manager,

Upper Valley Nighthawks

Every year, hundreds of Granite Staters gather to spend election day managing the polls. As former or current town moderators, we have been privileged to help ensure that voting procedures are properly followed, voters’ privacy is secured, and only eligible voters are allowed to cast ballots. This is a responsibility that each of us has taken very seriously.

We understand the scrutiny that New Hampshire voting receives, both as the host of the first-in-the-nation primary, and also as a swing state. As moderators, we appreciate that the eyes of the country are on New Hampshire, and that our elections must be fair and accurate.

But now our integrity, and that of our fellow volunteers, is under outrageous attack. In recent months, there have been incessant rumors that voter fraud exists in our state. There are those who claim ineligible out-of-staters consistently cast ballots in New Hampshire.

These claims are just not true.

New Hampshire election workers do not let unqualified people cast ballots. Any individual who comes into a polling location with an out-of-state license or no license at all must provide legally-required information proving domicile for voting. Only then are they welcomed to cast their ballot.

Election Integrity Commission Vice Chair Kris Kobach’s baseless claims of voter fraud in New Hampshire are an affront to our work and the work of all election volunteers. When he attacks the integrity of our voting system, he is attacking each and every election worker committed to volunteering on election day. He is questioning our ability to do our jobs.

New Hampshire runs fair and legitimate elections. We will not sit silently as these accusations continue. We will stand up to defend New Hampshire voting, and we urge anyone else who believes in the legitimacy of our elections to do the same.

Former moderators Peter Burling, Cornish; Steve Taylor, Plainfield; Merle Schotanus, Grantham; Daniel Eaton, Stoddard, N.H.

Moderators Paul Franklin, Plainfield; Mike Everngram, Durham, N.H.

To the Editor:

The attack on an 8-year-old boy in Claremont is but representative of a variety of prejudices coming to light all around us, locally and nationally, and we, the undersigned members of the Windsor Southeast Supervisory Union, reiterate our resolve to work toward the presence of social justice.

To enhance our current policies and programs supporting diversity, we will ensure our teaching and support staff receive training in identifying and mitigating prejudice and in how to help and support students experiencing prejudice toward them as targets or witnesses. Further, we pledge to take the discussion back to our individual school boards to gather input and ideas from our board and community members.

Every day in our schools we keep our supervisory union’s mission in the forefront: “We support the healthy development of each individual child. We can be a responsible, caring, and contributing member of our communities; our schools are an important part of a system that makes our own communities better … they are founded on strong leadership, excellent teaching, and unshakeable community support.”

Many of us joined the school board to effect the very changes we see becoming increasingly urgent; this is one of the true values of school boards to the town or towns they represent.

Foremost above any financial or political responsibility, we are committed to ensuring that students attending our schools are endowed with a deep understanding of, and sensitivity to, problems of the world and time in which we live.

That commitment is active, and we will continue to work hard, together, to create a more just and compassionate society.

Amy McMullen (chair), Windsor; David Baker, superintendent;

Elizabeth Burrows, West Windsor; Carl Malinowski, Windsor;

Laura McNaughton, Weathersfield; Nancy Pedrick, West Windsor; Heidi Remick, Weathersfield;

Scott Richardson, Hartland

The Valley News’ front-page coverage of President Donald Trump’s decision to end DACA was an editorial disguised as a news story. There was no mention that President Barack Obama himself acknowledged he didn’t have authority under the Constitution to issue his DACA regulation. Instead, the article gave example after example of persons potentially affected by Trump’s decision in an effort to make it appear cruel and mean-spirited. In fact, Trump’s decision was based on the law, not emotion.

Jeff Lehmann

Lyme Center

Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, and Rep. Annie Kuster:

Do your job and come up with a solution to the DACA problem, since illegal immigrants are that — illegal! Come up with a law that would either change the status of DACA people or send them back, but obey the law or change the law.

Jean Liepold

Grantham