Guest post by NH State Representative Bruce MacMohan on Education - Granite Grok

Guest post by NH State Representative Bruce MacMohan on Education

SB67 (passed 273*-100): A bill to establish a committee to study school vouchers and school choice. Although, I voted for this bill, I wouldn’t mind seeing, as an alternative to more studies and committees, a resolution urging all members of the House and Senate to go down to their school district offices and apply to become a substitute teacher.

A lot of people like to talk about education reform, but unless you’ve spent some time in a classroom environment in New Hampshire (down in the trenches), you really can’t get a feel for what things are like. Are there problems with our state and federal education systems? Yes. Are they problems that can be fixed by shoveling more taxpayer dollars into the bucket? It’s been my experience that more spending is definitely not the solution.

How is it that in some public schools in New Hampshire, high school students taking high school level geometry and second year algebra classes can’t do simple multiplication without a calculator? In a nearby high school where 11th graders can’t divide 35 by 7 in their heads, I saw a lot of notices concerning our recent votes on the state budget, but not a lot of concern expressed over the fact that there are students a year away from graduating, who that lack the basic math skills that my daughters (Swasey School third-graders) have mastered at the age of eight?

Frankly, I don’t know what …


…measures, if any, can be taken at the state (certainly not the federal) level to fix a problem that needs to be honestly and openly be addressed at the local level on a town-by-town basis. The solution to our educational shortcomings in New Hampshire must involve students, parents, and educators, not lawmakers and bureaucrats.

*****

Public education (and the problems that exist in the system) in New Hampshire has moved pretty damn near the top of the list of things that burn my you-know-what. As someone who has now played the role of parent, educator, and lawmaker, I am saddened at what I have observed in SOME of our public schools here in New Hampshire.

But, I must also add, that I am also AMAZED at the caliber of education being provided in SOME of our other public schools in the state. I don’t want my criticisms to be taken as a broad assessment painting the entire system in a negative light.

Suffice to say, we’ve got big problems in this state when it comes to providing our children with a real education and providing a return on investment for the taxpayers who are footing the bill.

Anyone who says we need to spend more on education, or pass more legislation at the state and federal level to control and regulate education (as if it were a controlled substance or some kind of inherently hazardous activity) either has no idea what they’re talking about, or they know exactly what they’re talking about and are looking to steal your money for their own gain.

I’d love to talk more about my thoughts and observations on the topic someday. My schedule will free up a lot come summer time, if you want to get together some time.

– Bruce

Rep. Bruce MacMahon
Rockingham County – District 10
Brentwood

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