Timberlane Regional School Board Adopts Illegitimate Default Budget per TTA and TSSU Presidents

PLAISTOW, NH— January 10, 2018 —the leadership of the Timberlane Teachers’ Association and Timberlane Support Staff Union released the following statement:

After a prolonged public discussion over drastic cuts proposed to the Timberlane Regional School District 2018-2019 budget, the Timberlane Regional School Board adopted, without deliberation, a default budget that does not adhere to the formula prescribed in RSA-40-14b. 1, according to Timberlane Teachers’ Association President, AFT#4796, Ryan Richman and Timberlane Support Staff Union President, AFT#6530, Laurie Herchenroder. 

AFT-NH Legislative Bulletin, 2018-02

The NH Legislature managed to meet one day this past week, but Thursday’s snowstorm and the bitter cold led to the cancellation of Thursday’s scheduled House session.  Instead, the House will convene this Tuesday, January 9, to continue working through the remaining retained bills from 2017.  Although an additional session day on Thursday, January 11 is possible, most expect the House to finish retained bills on the 9th and then commence committee hearings on 2018 bills.

SB 193  The big news this past week was House passage of Senate Bill 193 as amended , the bill establishing so-called “education freedom savings accounts.”  In simple terms, the bill takes funds normally distributed by the State to local school districts and places the money into accounts that can be used by parents who home-school or choose to send their children to private (including religious) schools.  The NH Constitution explicitly prohibits expending public funds in support of religious schools, so the “education freedom savings accounts” are an attempt to bypass that prohibition.  As one House member noted in debate, these accounts will act as a pass-through system, or in more direct language, as a “money-laundering” system to render public revenues into non-public money and thereby circumvent the state’s Constitution.  

Statement by AFT-NH President Douglas Ley on NH House Vote on SB 193 “voucher bill”

Bow, NH     January 3, 2018

 

AFT-NH President Douglas Ley released the following statement about the January 3 vote in the NH House on SB193, the so-called “voucher” bill

“AFT-NH and all supporters of public education in New Hampshire are grievously disappointed with yesterday’s initial House vote on SB193.  By a margin of 184-162, the House gave initial approval to this grievously flawed bill, sending it on to the Finance Committee for further examination before bringing it back to the floor for a final vote.

 

Nashua Teachers' Union Makes Donation to Toys for Tots

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
CONTACT: Adam Marcoux, President, Office: 603-888-7544 

NTU MAKES DONATION TO TOYS FOR TOTS 

NASHUA, NH December 14, 2017 – Members of the Nashua Teachers’ Union played Santa this month, donating toys for those in need. The Nashua Teachers’ Union held the 2nd Annual Toys for Tots Donation Drive at all 17 city schools over the last month. When all was said and done, the NTU collected 345 toys, games, puzzles, and more for the Toys for Tots Foundation. 

AFT-NH Legislative Bulletin, 2018-01

Bow, NH - December 13, 2017

Launch of the 2018 Legislative Session   In the natural world, many creatures around us are hunkering down for the winter season and going into hibernation.  The Legislature, however, is not governed by ‘Mother Nature’ and since October, the pace of activity in the State House has picked up, with hearings and the election of a new Speaker.  Now, as we enter into the Holiday season, the Legislature stands of the cusp of the 2018 session, with our first session scheduled to convene on January 3, 2018.  It promises to be a busy session, with hundreds of bills proposed in the House and the Senate, each one assured of a public hearing and a vote in either or both the House and Senate.  So it is time to muster your energies and your patience—the 2018 Legislative session is nearly upon us!