NH State Rep Dave Testerman - what our education system SHOULD be teaching. - Granite Grok

NH State Rep Dave Testerman – what our education system SHOULD be teaching.

Note: emphasis mine  -Skip

Dave TestermanThis is the 46th of my letters as your Representative.  Everyone has an opinion regarding schools and education in Franklin.  I spoke at a City Council meeting last week and attended a meeting on the schools but I want to talk about how some people prepare to serve as a legislator and what you can do to be an informed NH citizen.

My wife interviewed a young, former State Representative who gave his story about his preparation.  He began his study with the founding documents, the US Constitution, the New Hampshire Constitution, and the Declaration of Independence.   He realized there were many references to other documents so he read Bible and then he went to the Federalists Papers and Anti-Federalist Papers, Black’s Law Dictionary, Bastiat’s The Law, and de Toqueville’s Democracy in America. Now this seems like overkill.  But upon reflection perhaps it was because he was serious about his role and probably because he was home schooled.

I’ve read most of these references with the exception of The Law and the Anti-Federalist’s Papers. I read the Constitution and Declaration as a student in public school and the Bible in my church and at home.  I read many of these as an adult after college and a citizen as I tried to understand what my government was doing.  I am ashamed to say I did not read them all and I bet a lot of my fellow House members have read even fewer.  This is reflected in the 1000+ bill introduced every year, many asking for government intervention.  We look to the government to solve our problems through legislation rather than solving problems ourselves.  I witnessed this at the City Council meeting the other night.  Sadly, our education system teaches students, and parents, that the government can solve all our problems.

So, what is the relationship?  Most of us are not prepared to be citizens of America.  In fact, most of us could not pass the test required of new citizens.  We recently passed a law to make Civics part of the curriculum for our schools.  We also have a law requiring cursive writing.  This is crazy that it is necessary!  Another of the 1000+ bills!  What are we teaching?  Without cursive how can anyone read the original handwritten documents, let alone understand them?  My wife recently wrote a note in cursive to one of our junior high grandsons who could barely read it because it was in cursive and he attends a highly rated public school.  He and his brothers are well versed in all the climate change and globalist thinking that the schools push today, but sadly they are not conversant in our founding documents… even though they participate in the Model United Nations and similar activities.

So, what is my conclusion?  I wonder if our children and you are prepared to do your roles.  You don’t have to be a member of the legislature but you need to keep us honest and you can only do so if you are prepared.   Write or call me at 603-320-9524 or email at dave@sanbornhall.net

Cheers,

Dave Testerman, Representative for Franklin and Hill

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