Merrimack School Board Tyranny – What Voters and Parents Want Doesn’t Matter

by
Steve MacDonald

This looks like fun. Merrimack has a “homework doesn’t matter” policy. Teachers can assign it, but it is not graded. It doesn’t count. So, why do it? Residents petitioned a Warrant to make it count, and the voters passed it. The Merrimack School Board has chosen to ignore that.

“It remains the position of this board that it is the role, responsibility and function of this board to set policy for this district and that the warrant article regarding (the homework) policy is advisory in nature,” said Barnes during Monday’s School Board meeting.

So, pass all the warrant articles you want, if we don’t agree we’re not going to enforce them.

A petition was filed with the court in response to the petty dictators. It asks that the board be forced to implement the policy change approved by voters.

Regardless of how that turns out, I have a suggestion. Voters should remove the entire school board and replace them with public servants who do what they are told.

Of course, voters would have to turn out for that to happen. Less than twenty percent showed up in April for town elections. Which might be why elected officials think they can claim to speak for the 80% who didn’t.

But then, that’s typical for town elections. Which means every one of them only represents the will of about a fifth of actual registered voters. 

Next April’s town elections could be interesting for a change.

Author

  • Steve MacDonald

    Steve is a long-time New Hampshire resident, blogger, and a member of the Board of directors of The 603 Alliance. He is the owner of Grok Media LLC and the Managing Editor of GraniteGrok.com, a former board member of the Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire, and a past contributor to the Franklin Center for Public Policy.

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