Why are so many parents angry in New Hampshire? School closings, mask mandates, Critical Race Theory, and other issues, are boiling over, and parents are fed up. They want their kids to be educated in a safe environment, without political agendas and bias.
Some Superintendents have run amok by politicizing the curriculum, shutting schools down when others were open, and mask mandates. Some school board members have sat by abdicating their authority as if they do not understand what their role is as an elected representative.
SAU16 is embroiled in a long list of problems, but tensions escalated when the school was shut down all year. Parents watched students in other districts go to school while their kids suffered academically and emotionally. It took the Governor to finally step in and do what David Ryan should have done – open the school.
When SAU16 parents showed up at the first public school board meetings, there was no apology for the assault on a student’s free speech when he wore the Thin Blue Line Flag, and was removed from class.. No one said they were sorry that students were branded with numbers at the prom if they weren’t vaccinated. No one even seemed concerned that many of the students had fallen behind academically because the school was shut down all year.
Now these parents have to deal with a Superintendent that helped hire a Principal who mocked concerned parents in her former district. To add insult to injury, David Ryan also hired a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice Director who will earn more money and better benefits than the teachers working in the district. What a slap in the face to taxpayers and teachers.
SAU 16 students were also given a mental health assessment (DESSA) without parental consent. This would violate ethical codes, and state and federal law. An official complaint has been filed with the New Hampshire Department of Education.
SAU16 Students are surveilled by the district which violates the New Hampshire Constitution. One parent called this grooming children to accept government surveillance.
The SAU16 website shows a Critical Race Theory agenda in some feeble attempt to address racism. The book they purchased as part of their mission teaches children to find hate when no hate is there, uses racism as a mechanism to address racism, imposes guilt and shame on friends, and teaches them how to resent each other. This is not about equality, it’s about power, vengeance, politics and retribution. Notice that there is nothing about forgiveness in this radical agenda now being pushed in SAU16.
It begs the question, how do you address racism by pushing this radical worldview on innocent children? The CRT propaganda remains on the district web site in spite of the new anti-discrimination law that was recently passed in New Hampshire.
The following is a list of texts that have been purchased as part of SAU16’s mission and vision for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice.
As of June 9th, 2021
Jewell, T. and Durand, A. (2020) This Book is Anti-Racist. London: Frances Lincoln Children’s BooksTatum, B.D. Why are all the Black Kids Sitting in the Cafeteria Together? :And Other Conversations about Race. New York; Basic Books.
Parents in Litchfield recently showed up at their School Board Meeting upset because their Superintendent made some critical mistakes that he needs to be accountable for too. HOWEVER, there is a big difference between these two districts, it’s called an APOLOGY.
David Ryan, Superintendent in SAU16 sat there quietly during two school board meetings, never addressing the critics. He refused to say a word about what has been happening under his leadership. The academic proficiency is plummeting among the student population, but even worse there has been NO apology from anyone for any of this mess created under his watch.
Compare that to Mike Jette, Superintendent in Litchfield who actually spoke during the school board meeting. Jette made some serious mistakes that needed to be addressed. It wasn’t easy for him to sit there and listen to the remarks by parents, but he listened and even responded at times. At the end when the school board members and Superintendent spoke about what they heard, there was an apology offered.
Mike Jette made some serious mistakes. He sent out a unity email with attachments that are pushed by Critical Race Theory race-baiters. Those links divide us by race, and include propaganda that violates our civil rights. Some parents talked about the political bias they’ve heard from people working in the district. The culture should be one of respect for all political viewpoints, but that’s not what was reported.
There are far bigger issues in SAU16 under David Ryan’s leadership, and a lack of humbleness on the part of the school board and Ryan during those past two meetings.
I hope the parents and residents in Litchfield continue with their actions to change the culture to one that is focused on academic achievement instead of politicization they are seeing. But at least the Superintendent and school board members took the first step of showing some humbleness in their response.
I have no idea where SAU16 is headed. Parents were angry about the long list of problems plaguing the district, and now they are even more upset by the reaction (or lack of a humbled reaction) from David Ryan and some of the school board members that are supposed to be serving all parents in the district.
