Manchester, NH has made national news once again — and for all the wrong reasons. Mayor Joyce Craig supports identity politics, division in our community, and as chairman of the school board, supported Critical Race Theory.
Now that these divisive concepts have been uncovered in the 21st-Century after-school program, she is playing defense. Instead of pushing national agendas that hurt children, she should be explaining her lack of leadership in education throughout the pandemic.
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She needs to explain why getting children back in the classroom was not a priority of hers and why test scores continue to decline under her lack of leadership.
If she is concerned about equity and equality, why has she repeatedly and publicly denounced school choice and education freedom, which is the number one equalizer for poor and minority students?
Why is she not taking an all-hands-on-deck approach at Beech Street school, which has our largest refugee, immigrant, and minority population, and working with them on a regular basis and helping the families, teachers, and students?
Instead, she leaves this school struggling with a literacy rate of less than 10 percent.
To be clear, I wholeheartedly believe in the teaching of history with all of the good, the bad, and the ugly. The law signed by the governor does not stop anyone from teaching about slavery or racism. It does make sure no one race, sex, creed, etc.. is deemed superior or inferior and that each child and employee is treated with equality as outlined in our Constitution.
Our Commissioner of Education is adamant in ensuring that our students are protected. The technical advisory for this law is being drafted and will add clarity to its enforcement.
As a state legislator, I sponsored and co-sponsored legislation that gave parents a stronger voice and more power over their children’s education. I sponsored legislation that created better learning environments for children. Now is the time to be proactive.
Outrage isn’t enough, and it isn’t an action. Parents need to be involved and aware. You are the advocates for your children. You have access to course materials, and you are the boots on the ground. Teachers that are seeing this happening need to be able to confide in parents and work with them to make our schools a better learning environment for all children.
As mayor, I will continue the fight for equality in education through school choice, higher academic standards, and stronger support for parents and teachers in the classroom. We will open our doors to parents in all aspects of education, including curriculum and policy decisions, and drive the Manchester education system to be the standard of education for NH and beyond.
We will put children and their needs at the center of all decisions and push aside national agendas that distract from the true work of educating our children. We will make national headlines for all the right reasons, and together — TOGETHER in UNITY — forge a Manchester we are all proud of.
