Public Education Under Attack

Rejecting EFA Voucher Accountability

The House voted to reject HB 1512 which would limit the Education Freedom Account (EFA) voucher program to budgeted amounts, and HB 1594 which would require annual review and qualification to determine eligibility to participate in the EFA voucher program.

Every argument EFA vouchers supporters make to justify treating the program different than other government assistance programs is completely disingenuous. From the moment the voucher program was first introduced, Republicans have misrepresented who it would benefit and how much additional taxpayer money would be required to fund it.

Rejecting EFA Annual Reviews

The House brushed aside HB 1654, which would require the state board of education to annually review EFA service providers for continued compliance with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

The lengths that EFA supporters will take to prevent any oversight or accountability of the taxpayer-funded program is incredible. Republicans have already blocked efforts to assure the program stays within its budget, to assure participants remain eligible based on income, and the Republican-run state Department of Education is trying to prevent an effective audit of the program from being conducted.

Repealing Divisive Concepts Aimed at NH Teachers

Backed by nearly unanimous Republican opposition in the New Hampshire House, legislation which would repeal the “divisive concepts” law restricting teaching in public schools (HB 1162) was blocked from advancement.

New Hampshire has excellent public schools, and our teachers take great pride in providing a thorough education. The reason we study the past is to understand how we got to where we are today and to help us work toward a better tomorrow.

Our state is currently struggling to recruit and retain teachers, and a recent Committee to Study New Hampshire Teacher Shortages and Recruitment Incentives found that the increased politization of teaching jobs has discouraged many from joining or remaining in the profession.

Preventing Climate Education in Schools

The House voted to indefinitely postpone HR 30, preventing any discussion about improving climate education in public schools.

The House of Representatives has historically embraced robust debate over policies that would affect our state. It is incredibly disappointing that House Republicans voted to block even discussing the idea of improving climate education in schools.

Parental Bill of Rights Dies

The protection of students, teachers, and family relationships prevailed in the New Hampshire House of Representatives on May 18, 2023. Not only did the House Democrats stand strong in killing the dangerous “Parental Bill of Rights,” but 70% of Seacoast residents wanted it to go away too.* Even Greenland residents rejected the bill by a 7 to 1 margin.

SB 272 would have wrongfully forced school personnel to ‘out’ vulnerable LGBTQ+ students and insert government needlessly into conversations that should be left to the parent and child. This session, we heard from thousands of Granite Staters who urged us to oppose this legislation and we are proud to have delivered a strong win for them today.

The debate was heated, with the majority party leader calling out his caucus in an uncontrolled rant saying that our public education system is a “black hole.”

Reason and thoughtfulness prevailed and with the NH House rejecting the national agenda put forth by Republicans that the public education system has failed our children and our society.

*Results from the UNH Survey Center Granite Poll conducted in March 2023.

Parental Bill of Rights, EFA's Coming to the House

By a 7 to 1 margin, Greenland residents said no to SB 272, the so called “parental bill of rights” initiative, but both chambers of the NH legislature insist on passing this bill in spite of statewide opposition, as expressed by the overwhelming negative response this received from NH voters. Thousands weighed in on this bill before the Senate voted to approve SB 272.

The bill is coming to the House this week and I’ll vote against it.

Proponents say the bill includes additional rights to address current concerns related to gender identity that have only recently emerged as relevant issues for legislation. Passage of this bill would assure parents that their rights are well respected and would prevent a likely mass exodus of students whose parents would seek alternative educational options that would respect their rights. A failure to value truth and parental authority, as this bill does, will inevitably lead to dysfunctional governments.

Democratic leaders of the House Education Committee say that reiterating existing parental rights is not the intent of the bill. This bill targets transgender and gender nonconforming students under the guise of “parental rights.” It singles out those students for special surveillance and reporting upon parental inquiry.

Singling out some students is a deeply concerning and unconstitutional requirement that violates the principle that all students come before the law as equals. Nearly every student will explore their identity in some shape or form that may not meet the approval of their parents. Teens do have rights of privacy.

There will be a very close vote on this on May 18. It will be critical for Democrats to attend this important session.

On the Educational Freedom Accounts (EFA) the Senate Education Committee voted to recommend a bill that would expand the Education Freedom Account program by increasing the income threshold. The committee voted 3-2 down party lines to approve House Bill 367, which just barely passed the House last month on a 187-184 vote.

The bill is one of three House bills to be approved on the new school voucher-like program that has been way over budget for the first two years of operation. HB 367 would increase parents’ income threshold for a child to be eligible for the program from300 percent of the federal poverty level to 350 percent or from $82.410 to $105,000 for a family of four.

I have consistently voted against any expansion of the EFA program, and will continue to do so.