To the Editor:
My name is James Dring and I am running for re-election to the Newport School Committee. The past few years have been challenging, but I bring common sense, good judgement and an independent thought process. I have taken no money from anyone for my campaign, and I am running to represent the students, parents and taxpayers and that is where my allegiance is. I am not influenced by any outside interests.
I am the father of three daughters. Two are currently at Rogers High School and my oldest daughter graduated from Rogers last year and is currently attending college. I am also a homeowner and taxpayer, so I get both sides of the school budget process.
I have shown my independence by being the sole Newport School Committee member to have been in favor of regionalization with Middletown when it was on the ballot in 2022, and I believe that it was a missed opportunity. We would have elected a new school committee made up of members from both communities that could have made the decision to combine the high school and middle school, as it makes no sense to have two 100-million-dollar schools 10 minutes from each other. The money that we were going to get from the state could have been leveraged to finish Rogers High School and would not have to come from Newport taxpayers. I haven’t given up and will continue to pursue regionalization with Middletown in the future.
I do not bring any national ideology to the school committee, just good judgment, independence and common sense. I ask for your vote on November 5th.
