AFT-NH Statement on Repealing Divisive Concepts Bills
Howes: “The Legislature should have the courage to stand up for all Granite Staters and make a major course correction and repeal the so-called divisive concepts law.”
CONCORD, N.H.—Statement by AFT-New Hampshire President Deb Howes urging the House to pass HB 1576, which would repeal the so-called divisive concepts law, and HB 1090, which would repeal that law and specifically allow school employees to teach historical or current experiences of any group protected from discrimination:
“The Legislature should have the courage to stand up for all Granite Staters and make a major course correction and repeal the so-called divisive concepts law. New Hampshire lawmakers need to be brave enough to ignore politically motivated ideologues who go from state to state trying to censor discussions around race and gender in classrooms. As we said in our federal lawsuit, the divisive concepts law is vague and punishing and makes it impossible for public school teachers to know what and how to teach. Either teachers try to follow a law that is hopelessly unclear and broad and end up inadequately educating their students, or they choose to teach honest history and current events as they have been doing and risk career-ending consequences.
“Educators’ jobs are to meet the needs of children and give them the facts they need to make decisions about crucial issues on their own.”
# # #