To the Editor-

We are supporting Tony Evers for State Superintendent of Schools.

We have been following Mr. Ever’s career for several years (he has been state superintendent for eight years) and have been pleased with what we have seen.

We note that Mr. Ever’s tenure has been scandal-free. His moral compass is pointed in the right direction. Both he and his wife are long-time educators and have the long-term interest of public school students in mind. Recently, he submitted to Gov. Walker an increase in the state educational budget of $600,000 and it was supported. He is fighting for the best interests of statewide education.

Other Republicans are also supporting his candidacy. For example, Senator Luther Olsen, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, is supporting Supt. Evers.

Supt. Evers strongly supports Common Core curricula and opposes the private school voucher program, while his opponent, Lowell Holtz, opposes Common Core curricula and strongly supports the private school voucher program and its expansion.

It has now surfaced that Mr. Holtz’s candidacy is badly compromised, ethically. For example, on Jan. 12, 2016, he sent a campaign email from his public school account when he was Superintendent of the Whitnall School District (a distinct no-no).

But he outdid himself last Dec. when his Republican opponent in the primary, John Humphries, reported that
Holtz had attempted to bribe him with the promise of a $150,000 job in the DPI if he dropped out of the race.

Humphries declined but reported the incident to the news media.

This prompted Jenni Dye, research director for One Wisconsin Now, to say that these two incidents show “an abysmal lack of ethics and commitment to public service in pursuit of his personal political ambitions and enrichment”.

We feel that the state superintendent, leader for the public schools of Wisconsin, should be above ethical compromise.

Tony Evers has consistently demonstrated the moral leadership needed for our public schools. Please vote with us for him on April 4.

Kent and Sue Hall
Stevens Point