As a longtime advocate and supporter of Idaho Public Television, I am more than troubled by Gov. Butch Otter's proposal to phase out all state support for IPTV. During my 16-year tenure as state superintendent of public instruction, I saw firsthand how this important asset was used to enhance the curriculum and enrich classroom instruction for students across the entire state. I also observed how public television's broad mission to educate, inform and entertain was carried to every region of our state and how critically important it became to our smaller communities and rural areas. Any thought that a more market-driven approach to raising additional private contributions could continue the statewide system is simply unrealistic/former state superintendent of schools Jerry Evans, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Former superintendent Jerry Evans contends that Idaho Public Television is important to Idaho. And that a loss of state funding will kill it. Do you agree on both points?