Hanwell clear choice for school board

Cape Henlopen School District voters will go to the polls Tuesday, May 11, to make a choice in the school board election. Incumbent Janis Hanwell faces a challenge from Ashley Murray, who is making her first run for public office. 

We agree with Murray that education should be the district’s first priority, and that students should be brought back into the classrooms, in person, as soon as possible. But Hanwell’s experience as a teacher, administrator and school board member give her a decided edge in understanding the nuances that play into addressing those fundamental priorities. Hanwell offers the best choice for helping Cape Henlopen School District remain one of the state’s premier public school systems.

We harbor no fears that embracing inclusivity, diversity and equity somehow amounts to an indoctrination conspiracy. A broad, accessible education that builds reading, writing and arithmetic skills in a positive environment is our best hope for developing a nation of critical thinkers who exercise and protect their individual freedoms with informed decisions.

Schools are a critical component in the fabric of our communities. They bring everyone together – people of all different ages and points of view.  We look forward to better days when restrictions related to the coronavirus will no longer keep us from mixing with one another in our schools.  

As a retired teacher and administrator serving in the thick of all the challenges that had to be faced through this entire school year, Hanwell brings perspective to help identify changes – many of them technological – required to make this hybrid year work. Those adjustments opened new doors for effective learning that should be retained for the years ahead. She also understands that societal problems affect how students learn and realizes the importance of schools as a stable learning environment. 

Cape Henlopen district residents 18 and over are eligible to vote. The polls will be open from  7 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Mariner Middle in Milton, Cape High in Lewes and Rehoboth Elementary in Rehoboth Beach. Bring identification showing your age and address. Participate in the future by casting your vote.