Dear Reader,

I feel it necessary to address The Scroll Editorial Board’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton. This decision is one that we, as a board, have wrestled with since the very beginnings of this election.

Early last winter, the editorial board of 2015-2016 discussed the potential of endorsing a candidate, as many newspapers and media outlets do. For a long time, it was an issue that we swept under the rug, one we told ourselves we would confront later.

With the election rapidly approaching – now just one month away – we felt this issue was the perfect time to endorse a candidate.

Personally, I praise Clinton for her social awareness and liberal policies that encourage gun safety, the right to choose, and inclusion with regards to gender, sexuality, and race. At this point in time, it is almost impossible for me to picture our country being led by any other candidate on the ballot.

It is important to note that this  endorsement does not reflect the opinions of Deerfield Academy or The Scroll as a whole, and certainly is not an attempt to convert or convince.

Not every member of the editorial board supports Clinton, and those who do not have had their initials removed from the  board editorial. However, a majority of 19/26 members elected to publicly support her.

In light of this endorsment, I welcome all opinions that align with or differ from those members of The Scroll editorial board who are endorsing Clinton in this issue. Every member of the community is invited to voice his or her opinions to me, or email scroll@deerfield.edu. We also welcome letters to the editor if someone may wish to have his or her opinion published in an upcoming issue.

I hope that our community will continue to enagage in debate about this election, and that The Scroll can facilitate this ongoing discussion. As a family, we will not all agree, but that is okay.

I encourage you to voice your opinion and stand behind it, but also to listen intently to those who feel differently.

All the best,
Perry Hamm
Editor-In-Chief