AFT-NH Legislative Bulletin (2023-03)

Voucher Expansion Heard at the State House This Week 

This week the House Education Committee heard two bills that would dramatically increase the amount of money spent on school vouchers in New Hampshire. Though the claim has always been that the purpose of this program is to help low-income families both of these bills would allow middle to high income families use of the voucher program. The voucher program, originally slated to cost just a few hundred thousand dollars has already ballooned to $30 million dollars and these bills would rise that cost even more and drain more money from our local public schools. We will have more actions for HB 464 and HB 367 as these bills continues to work their way through the legislature.  Thank you to all of you who took time to let the House Education Committee know that New Hampshire does not want to see this program expanded. You read the written testimony from AFT-NH President Deb Howes at the following link: Testimony Opposing HB 464 and HB 367.

Charter School Funding and Increased Complaints Against Teachers

Two bills to watch out for next week. In New Hampshire the state already gives more money per student to charter schools than it does to our local neighborhood public schools. This, despite the fact that we know New Hampshire funds our local public schools at a lower rate than any other state in the country. Two years ago, Republicans accepted money to expand the number of charter schools in New Hampshire despite the fact that there were opening in charter schools across the state and despite the fact that many were already struggling financially. Now, the House Education Committee will hear HB 272-FN, a bill that would increase funding for Charter Schools while keeping the funding dangerously low for our neighborhood public schools. 7 of the 10 lowest performing schools in the state are charter schools. The state must fix our broken school funding formula to improve public education for all public school students and not just focus on the few who attend charter schools.

Additionally, the House Judiciary Committee will hear HB 533, a bill that would allow the Department of Education to bring a complaint over teaching a so-called “divisive concept” to the Human Rights Commission against teachers. Is Commissioner Edelblut,  not satisfied that teachers are already being intimidated by the threats of the so-called “divisive concepts” law and the bounties being put on teachers for teaching honest history? Now is he looking to expand the ways in which he can intimidate teachers besides outrageous and misleading “op-eds”? As a reminder, here is what a judge said about the so-called “divisive concepts” law just one week ago, “In sum, the amendments’ vague terminology, their lack of a scienter requirement, and the possibility that teachers could be found liable for teaching a banned concept by implication, leave both teachers and enforcers to guess at what speech the amendments prohibit. Given the severe consequences that teachers face if they are found to have taught or advocated a banned concept, plaintiffs have pleaded a plausible claim that the amendments are unconstitutionally vague.” 

Action Request   You can sign in OPPOSED to HB 272 and HB 533 and make sure the Education and Judiciary Committee knows that New Hampshire does not support increased charter school funding or further wrongful intimidation of our teachers.

Here’s the link to submit your opposition:  Remote Sign-In

CLICK HERE FOR REMOTE SIGN-IN

You will need to submit your opposition to each bill.

Step 1: Fill in your personal information.

Step 2: Select January 25^th for HB 272 and January 26^th for HB 533

Step 3: Select House Education Committee

Step 4: Select Bill Number (HB 272 and HB 533) [You need to submit the form twice.]

Step 5: Select a member of the public and you are representing yourself.

Step 6:  Select OPPOSE.

Step 7: Click Submit.

We thank you for your continued interest and advocacy.

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.

Week of January 23^rd Legislative Hearing Schedule