Category Archives: Lyme

Letter to the Editor: Re-elect Mary Powell-St. Louis to Region 18 Board of Education, She Continuously Demonstrates Her Focus on Putting All Kids First

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To the Editor:

Numerous Letters to the Editor and OpEd’s have been published in LymeLine, CTExaminer, and The Day, recommending Mary Powell-St Louis’ re-election to our Board of Education (BOE).  I know Mary personally and, as a moderate, independent voter, would like to add my endorsement.

Mary and I served together for nearly a decade as volunteer adult leaders of our local Boy Scout troop.  Mary continues to work tirelessly on behalf of our Scouts, going as far as to complete the highest level of adult training that Scouting offers.  The Scouting curriculum emphasizes project management, conflict resolution, listening, diversity and inclusion, mentoring, and team development – all of which benefited our troop.  Troop activities are led by Scouts, with guidance and support from adult leaders such as Mary.  She continuously demonstrates that her focus is on putting all our kids first, which carries over into her work on the BOE.

Our public school system is among the best in the State.  Families in other communities are eager to pay for the opportunity to have their kids attend our schools.  Mr. Lodge’s implication that our BOE, administrators, and educators aren’t inclusive of all children and aren’t putting them first doesn’t make sense to me.  I personally know children who were or are in our schools who have diverse needs.  In my experience, with consistent parental involvement, our school system cares and goes the extra mile to help each of them.  With her focus on continuous improvement, Mary recognizes that there is always more that our schools can do to support the needs of all students while keeping in mind what is affordable for our taxpayers.

I believe that Mary is by far the more qualified candidate to represent our town on the Region 18 Board of Education.  In her eight years on the BOE, Mary has held numerous positions, including Treasurer, Vice Chair of the Board, Vice Chair of the Building sub-committee, and has been a member of several subcommittees, such as the Safety, Policy, and Facilities and Finance committees.  She has broad experience in all facets of the Board’s functions, and understands the needs of our students, educators, administrators, and taxpayers.  Mary has her own views, and believes in compromise and collaboration to achieve the best outcome for all of us. We are incredibly fortunate that she is willing to volunteer to serve our communities for another four years.

Please come out and vote next Tuesday, November 7th, and join me in re-electing Mary.

Respectfully,

Tony Lynch,
Lyme, CT.

Editor’s Note:  The author is a former Committee Chairman of Boy Scouts of America Troop 26, Lyme-Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Banning is on the Ballot

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To the Editor:

In June, a number of candidates on the current Old Lyme and Lyme RTC slates, including Board of Ed candidates Mary Powell St. Louis and Mike Presti, signed a letter seeking removal of sex ed books from the Young Adult section of the public library.  Surrogates continue this shameless campaign even now, and have gone so far as to publicly call for the resignation of Democrats on the Board of Education who have rejected this censorship. 

So what’s all the fuss about?  Two cartoon sex education books.  Are the books obscene? Unequivocally: no.  From a legal perspective it isn’t even close. The U.S. Supreme Court addressed this issue in Miller v. California. There, the Court noted that in order for a book to be determined obscene, one must review it “taken as a whole” and find that its primary purpose was to appeal to “prurient interests” (i.e. to turn people on). The Court understood that context matters. It understood that historically censorship proponents often cherry-picked “objectionable” out-of-context snippets to the detriment of society.  For example, the previously governing Comstock Laws led to anatomy textbooks being prohibited from being sent to medical students on obscenity grounds. (At least those future doctors didn’t have to see naked people!)

A reasonable person would see that taken as a whole, these books are meant as a form of relatable and informal sex education – a sometimes goofy but genuinely sincere attempt to answer the very real questions that might stem from an often confusing and clinical school curriculum.

Unless they are your own kids, attempting to “hide” that resource from teens who seek it out isn’t just wrong, it’s unconstitutional.  The federal court in a case called Sund v. Wichita Falls, found that “the First Amendment to the United States Constitution indisputably protect(s) the right to receive information” and therefore the First Amendment is violated by “the forced removal of children’s books to the adult section of the Library.” Almost a duplicate of the facts here. (But the Court does give a solution, “if a parent wishes to prevent her child from reading a particular book, that parent can and should accompany the child to the Library, and should not prevent all children in the community from gaining access to constitutionally protected materials.”) That should end this. These books are by definition not obscene, and banning them, moving them, or restricting them is unconstitutional censorship. That’s the law.  

So why are we still having this conversation?  Because certain people have made a choice.  They’ve gone “all in.”  They’ve decided that the national Republican Party has cracked the code to victory.  

And that code means book bans are on the ballot. 

Sincerely,

David Rubino,
Old Lyme.

Letter to the Editor: Re-elect Powell-St. Louis as Lyme Member of Region 18 BOE; She Has ‘Remarkable Set of Attributes,’ Making Her ‘an Exceptional Candidate’

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To the Editor:

I am writing this letter to express my wholehearted and enthusiastic support for my esteemed colleague, Mary [Powell St. Louis], who is running for reelection to the Board of Education. I have had the privilege of working closely with her on the Board of Education for four years (one year as Chair with her serving as Vice Chair) and on the Facilities and Finance Committee and have witnessed her outstanding qualities and unwavering commitment to our community and the education system. 

Mary possesses a remarkable set of attributes that make her an exceptional candidate for reelection: 

Mary is known for her unwavering honesty and direct communication. Her integrity is unquestionable, and she always speaks candidly, making her a trusted and transparent leader who can navigate complex educational issues with clarity and forthrightness. She enthusiastically studies related research and material for all topics under consideration and accurately relates the material in a relevant, accurate, and easy-to-interpret fashion. 

Mary has demonstrated a deep understanding of the fiscal challenges that our school district faces. Her commitment to responsible budget management ensures that our community’s resources are allocated efficiently, benefiting both the taxpayers and the students. 

It is obvious that Mary possesses a high level of intellect and a sharp analytical mind. Her ability to grasp complex educational issues, assess potential solutions, and make informed decisions is invaluable to the Board of Education. 

Mary’s resolute dedication to our community is truly commendable. Her tireless efforts to improve the quality of education and the overall well-being of our students demonstrate a profound sense of duty to our community’s future. 

In her previous term, Mary has been instrumental in bringing positive changes to our school district. Through budgeting, project planning, and contract negotiations, she has proven herself to be an invaluable team member in the way she notices details that others miss and offers solutions that others hadn’t imagined. 

As a colleague who has had the privilege of working closely with Mary, I can attest to her exceptional qualities and the positive influence she has had on our educational community. Her dedication to the betterment of our schools and her commitment to the well-being of our students are qualities that we need on the Board of Education. 

I wholeheartedly endorse Mary for reelection to the Board of Education and encourage our community to support her in this endeavor. Her proven track record, steadfast honesty, fiscal responsibility, high intellect, and strong sense of duty to our community make her the ideal candidate to continue leading our school district toward a brighter future. 

Sincerely,

Steven Wilson,
Old Lyme.

Editor’s Note: The author is the current chair of the Region 18 Board of Education, a registered Republican, and endorsed by the Old Lyme Republican Town Committee for re-election to the board in the upcoming election. Mary Powell St. Louis (R) is endorsed by the Lyme Republican Town Committee for re-election to the board in the upcoming election

Letter to the Editor: Choose Gavin Lodge as Lyme Member of Region 18 BOE; He Will ‘Work Tirelessly’, Insure Children Receive ‘Open, Unbiased Education’

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To the Editor:

Gavin Lodge is a wonderful choice for Board of Education. He will work tirelessly for our children, insuring that they receive an open and unbiased education. Gavin is the father of two children in LOL [Lyme-Old Lyme] schools and knows and understands the importance of parental involvement in all facets of their education. Giving young people access to all knowledge will help them become the thoughtful leaders we need in our future.

Gavin’s opponent is pro book banning. Gavin supports an open, respectful and caring education for all students.

Vote Gavin Lodge for our children’s sake.

Sincerely,


Sue Hessel,
Lyme.

Lyme-Old Lyme VFW Post 1467 Named to All-American Team, One of Only Seven in CT

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LYME-OLD LYME — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Lyme-Old Lyme Post 1467 has been recognized for outstanding contributions made by its members that has resulted in the Post being named a member of the 2022-2023 All-American VFW team.

The All-American program exists to recognize exceptional leadership and teamwork, authentic accomplishments in membership growth and VFW core programs.

There are 88 VFW Posts in Connecticut and only seven have achieved this national VFW recognition.

Since 2015 there have been over 120 instances where the Lyme-Old Lyme VFW Post 1467 has provided needy veterans and their families with one-time temporary assistance services totaling over $150,000.  Since the spring of 2023, Post 1467 helped over 10 veterans to spend over $11,000 to address a variety of issues, including homelessness.  

The Lyme-Old Lyme Post 1467 holds its annual dinner dance this Saturday, Oct. 28, with the theme, We Still Serve.

Congratulations to Post 1467 — what an achievement!