May 5, 2022 was the Senate hearing on HB1431 – a Parental Bill of Rights
I asked both NH State Reps Paul Terry and Jeffrey Gleeson Greeson (thanks John, for the correction!) for comment. Paul Terry sent this commentary in with this link:
Lo and behold, in the article covering Sen. Kahn’s announced retirement from the Senate we have him taking out after our New Hampshire House and Senate passed (different versions, to date) Parents’ Bill of Rights. And what does he say in opposition to our efforts to secure historic natural rights of parents in their children’s educations? That HB 1431 “resembles the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in Florida.” He appears here to have (intentionally?) joined those who have attempted to cleverly mischaracterize the Florida “bill” (uh, Sen. Kahn, I realize you have been very busy but it’s not a bill, it’s Florida law), and then associated it with our HB 1431, in opponents’ efforts to gin up more misinformed opposition to a not yet identical language and acted upon “final” version of our Parents’ Bill of Rights.
I realize we are in the “messy” world of politics, but how low will elected public officials go to destroy legislation necessitated by numerous and widespread abuses committed by those who have been entrusted by parents with their children’s educations? As low, if not even lower than Sen. Kahn’s attack, was the letter (May 11) informing House Members of the Portsmouth City School Board’s “unanimous” opposition to HB 1431. Why? Allegedly and remarkably because of the all the dreadful things it “will” (not “may,” but actually “will”—yet without ANY claimed evidence!) do to children and school personnel, if passed.
I see news accounts almost every week that report on conflicts between reasonable parents and resistant school officials or employees. Who among us is not aware that parents “awoke” all across Virginia, and last November stunningly elected a candidate for Governor of the Commonwealth who promised he would stand with and for parents in their fights for educational transparency and accountability? Add to this countless other examples of parents in New Hampshire and elsewhere uniting to confront school officials (elected and otherwise) who are treating them dismissively and with arrogance, hostility and disdain. There have been (and always will) be disagreements between parents and school personnel, but when we survey the national landscape I believe what we are witnessing is an unmistakable emergence of a pattern of disturbing “concern” (to be measured in my choice of word) that is unprecedented in my lifetime.
By all means let’s keep our heads and wits about us, but it’s high time we acted. HB 1431 is sensible and needed. We want to see it on the May 26 House Calendar with a recommendation to approve it. Let’s get this done. Call and email Speaker Sherm Packard, Majority Leader Jason Osborne and Children and Family Law Committee Chair, Kimberly Rice (contact information available at https://gencourt.state.nh.us/ ), and let them know YOU want this Parents’ Bill of Rights (HB 1431) for all of us!
A Parental Bill of Rights – what a concept! After all, Parents DO need protection from predatory School Boards, like the Gilford School Board, who give themselves the Power to lie to Parents about their children AND force Staff to go along with those lies.
I know, I was lied to (by omission): “So How Did It Feel, Gilford School Board, to Watch Your Principal Lie to Me in Public Because of Your Policy JBAB?”
