At a recent Meet and Greet with Wendy Harlin, who is running against Peter Conlon in the Democratic primary for a seat in the House, I was struck by Wendy’s grasp of a number of wide-ranging issues from education (yes, keeping small schools open) to the environment, to housing and social justice.

When we focused on education, we talked about the short-sightedness of funding rural development at the same time allowing the undermining of small rural towns by closing their elementary schools. We talked about the idea of consolidation of high schools while keeping the young children in schools in their own towns.

I am impressed that Wendy has the endorsement of Rights and Democracy, an organization that supports candidates who work to protect the environment, expand health care for all and work toward racial equity. It’s time for some new ideas to guide the legislature, instead of the lockstep march toward closing small schools and undermining small towns. I will vote for Wendy Harlin for the Addison-2 seat in the Vermont House, and I hope you will, too.

Andrea Chesman

Ripton