Dear Rep. Long: I have been an active parental rights advocate in New Hampshire for about 20 years now. During this time, I have never received a dime in compensation. I advocate on behalf of parents in New Hampshire because it’s the right thing to do.
My focus is on academic excellence in education, and supporting parental rights.
I have helped parents navigate the paid lobbyists and attorneys that line up against them when their children have been assaulted. I’ve given a voice to the good parents who were begging and pleading with the administrators to reopen the schools because their children were suffering academically and emotionally. There are too many examples to provide in this letter, but know that there are many reasons good parents are fighting for what’s best for their children.
Your op-ed condemning parents who want to affirm their rights through legislation is a similar attack on good parents we saw coming through the U.S. Attorney General’s office a short time ago. Your attempt to paint these parents as extremists does not extend any sort of due process they should be receiving from their elected officials.
Not once has a parent contacted me that wasn’t looking out for the best interest of their children. These are not parents who are neglectful or abusive. In fact, they are the parents you want fighting for children.
Parents generally want three things from their local public schools;
1) Academic excellence
2) Safe learning environment
3) Respect for their fundamental rights as parents
When any of those factors are missing, you can expect parents will remove their children from the public school, or attempt to make a change at their local public school. The nerve of their elected official to paint them as extremists, not worthy of recognition or affirmation, is an assault on all good parents residing in your district.
Did you know that in the federal law, Every Student Succeeds Act signed by President Obama, includes a provision on parent engagement? That means that each district should have developed a parent engagement plan. Does Manchester have this plan developed and in place? Did you think to ask them since you represent the parents in this city?
Federal legislators have acknowledged the importance of engaging parents because they know that good parents can help their communities, and public schools thrive.
When their representatives beat back parents, as you are attempting to do, it can cause good parents to remain silent. Or was that your point all along–to silence good parents?
You failed to point to language in the parental rights bill that stood out that put a child in harm’s way, because it doesn’t exist. No one in their right mind would support that. In fact, your charges are false.
During the Senate hearing, that argument was made, but thankfully Mike Donnelly, an attorney from the Home School Legal Defense Association, debunked those claims.
I encourage parents to read the actual legislation that has been proposed. This legislation supports parents if they want to examine the curriculum within the school. Does that sound extreme? The charges put forth by Rep. Long are false and absurd. I’m not sure what happened to the democrat party in New Hampshire, but this is something we should be unified on.
You should also know that when I receive calls from parents, oftentimes those parents work in your school district. The teachers and administrators are parents too. They are not extremists, but loving and concerned parents. Just because they cannot publicly share their experiences, doesn’t mean that those working inside the public schools share your anti-parent views.
I suspect this is more about silencing good parents instead of looking for ways to serve all families. Schools serve a diverse population, and if you are going to preach about an appreciation for diversity and inclusion, then start showing it.
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