To the Editor:

It seems another republican talking point in the news and on social media lately is a war on education.

The Republicans are concerned that students are becoming too “woke” and that their education lies not with parents but fully with educators and administrators. Let’s not forget that our education system is in the parent’s hands at the voting booth when they vote for legislators and local school boards, (the most thankless volunteer job in town).

But this concern of students becoming too “woke” seems to me a message that would only resonate with those who want to live in a different era or are too ashamed of our past to share it with their children.

By the very definition of education, students are to be enlightened about our past, to understand the current environment, and to be prepared for the future. In other words, we are waking them to history, showing them the world as it is today, and the great possibilities that lie ahead.

This isn’t making them “woke,” this is educating them and hopefully giving them the skills to make informed decisions that align with their values.

I, for one, won’t vote for any candidate who has declared war on our educators. They have a hard enough time keeping classrooms stocked, your child engaged, and the curriculum relevant for relatively little pay.

I encourage everyone to become “woke” to our local, state and national candidates and support those who support our teachers!

Brian Hartgraves

Newtown