To the Editor:

We are supporting Tony Evers for state superintendent of schools. We have been following 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 Evers’ tenure has been scandal-free. His moral compass is pointed in the right direction. Both he and his wife are longtime educators and have the long-term interest of public school students in mind.

Recently, he submitted to Gov. Scott 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, Sen. Luther Olsen, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, is supporting Evers.

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 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 December 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 Department of Public Instruction 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 April 4.

Kent and Sue Hall

Stevens Point