Letter - Keep Westrom working for rural schools

To the editor:

As the former superintendent in Alexandria, I have monitored Torrey Westrom’s support of education. Over the past two years, Torrey supported education policies that help students, especially those in rural schools. In 2011, he voted to increase state education funding by $686 million. Importantly, for schools in our area, he voted to establish a fund to aid rural schools with fewer than 1,000 students, leading to an average funding increase of 4 percent per year for rural schools.

Westrom voted for much needed reform in the management of school trust lands. In 2012, the Legislature set up independent oversight of school trust lands to ensure lands are managed in a way that maximizes the financial benefit to students. The DNR had not been managing them well.

Westrom has worked in a bipartisan manner to put students first. He supported new teacher evaluation requirements that account for student performance, and allowing experienced professionals with an interest in teaching to enter into the classroom through alternative certification.

Keep Torrey Westrom working for rural schools and elect him to the Minnesota Senate.

George W. Cassell

Alexandria, MN

(A paid political letter)

Tags: opinion, letters