AFT-NH Action Alert
December 27, 2023
On January 4th, the NH Senate Education Committee will convene to hear new proposed legislation. The school voucher crowd is wasting no time to try to expand the unaccountable and expensive voucher program with SB 442 and SB 522. More divisive legislation is being proposed in SB 341. We need you to sign in as opposed to the following bills SB 341, SB 442-FN, and SB 522-FN-A. With more than 100 education bills being proposed this session, we expect to be reaching out to you often to defend our cherished public schools and educators.
You can review the bills by clicking on the links below and reviewing our brief summary. At the end of this alert, you will find the link to submit your testimony with instructions for registering your opinion to the Senate Education Committee.
ASK THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE TO STOP TRYING
TO PIT TEACHERS AGAINST PARENTS
No to SB 341
SB 341 [January 4th, Senate Education Committee @ 9:00 am]
This bill is the latest attempt from anti-education politicians to pit parents against teachers. A recent report on the teacher shortage crisis in New Hampshire had a bi-partisan recommendation for the legislature to stop passing bills that called into question teachers’ professionalism and to stop interfering in their jobs. So, naturally right out of the gate, anti-public education politicians produce a bill that makes it seem like teachers spend their days lying to parents.
This bill requires school employees to answer “honestly and completely” if asked a written question by parents. While we know schools operate best when teachers and parents work together as a team, the honest and complete standard is so vague it is unworkable. It also creates hazardous situations for any students who does not have a trusted adult at home or in their family circle. This will prevent them from finding a trusted adult at school and could lead to isolation and tragic consequences. For all students, it stops schools from being safe spaces for students which harms their ability to learn. Teachers and parents should work together for the best interest of the student—and not have unworkable standard dictated by the politicians.
TELL THE SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE
TO SAY “NO” TO EXPANDED VOUCHERS
Reject SB 442 and SB 522
SB 442-FN [January 4th, Senate Education Committee @ 9:40 am]
Expands the voucher program to include money for pre-kindergarten for children ages 2 ½ to 5. New Hampshire remains one of the last states in the country to not mandate full day kindergarten and instead of ensuring every student has access to robust, full-day public kindergarten and pre-k, we look to extend local vouchers. The state should look to ensure educational opportunities for all students—not just for some students.
SB 522-FN-A [January 4th, Senate Education Committee @ 10:00 am]
Despite the recent court decision confirming that the state is short changing each and every public school student by at least 80% of the needed per pupil funding and has not lived up to its constitutional obligations to provide public schools that will allow our students to learn and thrive, anti-public education politicians in Concord continue to try to expand the already over-budget, no accountability school voucher program. SB 522 lets any family, regardless of income, get a voucher if they, for any reason want to leave their neighborhood public school. Don’t like the color of your locker? The state is ready to dish out a voucher to you further depleting resources for our local neighborhood public schools, even as the courts have said the state must pay more!
How to Submit Remote Testimony
Here’s the link to submit your opposition: REMOTE TESTIMONY SIGN IN FOR SENATE EDUCATION
Step 1: Select the date of the hearing.
Step 2 Select Senate Education Committee
Step 3: Select Bill Number.
Step 4: Select a member of the public and you are representing yourself.
Step 5: Select OPPOSE.
Step 6: Click Submit.
Step 7: Enter your personal information.
Step 8: Click the final review box.
And you then can register your opposition to the other bills.
For breaking news and other legislative information, please be sure to like us on Facebook at AFT New Hampshire or follow us on Twitter @AFTNewHampshire to receive the latest news. Please share this with friends so they can sign up for this bulletin at http://nh.aft.org/.
You can also read written testimony submitted to the legislature at STATE HOUSE NEWS.
We wish you all a Happy New Year.