Bill Felkner’s Dec. 10 letter (“The real first class”) raised an accusation against Education Commissioner Peter McWalters. Neither The Journal nor Mr. Felkner made any attempt to ascertain the veracity of Mr. Felkner’s assumption that Commissioner McWalters was “traveling on our dime” on a recent trip to Washington.

In fact, a national organization (the Council of Chief State School Officers) asked Commissioner McWalters to come to Washington for one day to develop a set of recommendations on education policy to present to the Obama transition team. The Council — not the taxpayers — paid all of the commissioner’s travel expenses.

To paraphrase Mr. Felkner: Shame on The Journal for publishing Mr. Felkner’s letter.

ELLIOT KRIEGER

Providence

The writer is a spokesman for the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Editor’s note: The Council of Chief State School Officers is supported by dues paid from public funds, according to Mr. Krieger.