Democrats delivered a blow to New Hampshire parents by defeating a parental rights Bill. Cloaked in caring for LGBTQ children, Democrats along with a small handful of Republicans, defeated legislation that supported parental rights.
They didn’t like that the Bill enumerated current laws that support parental rights. Why would new legislation include a list of current laws? Maybe for parents who research the parental rights laws. If SB272 were to become law, a parent could easily see what laws have already been passed since those were enumerated in the proposed legislation. That’s helpful to parents so they don’t have to try to figure out what laws currently exist. These laws would have been easily accessible to parents. Opponents objected to parents seeing this enumerated list of current laws that supported their rights.
The parental rights bill was also criticized because of the provision that would have required school staff to answer parents honestly if they asked about their child’s gender status at school. Currently, many schools in New Hampshire include a provision in School Board Policy JBAB that instructs the staff to LIE to parents if they ask about their child’s gender status in school.
Since this policy is a direct attack on parents, many parents wanted legislation affirming their right to have school staff answer these questions in an honest way. That’s what SB272 would have done for them. Require school staff to answer the question honestly.
During the public hearing on SB272, parents warned that if this law is not passed, they will remove their children from the public school. Some will utilize the school choice programs available, others will figure out a way to get their child an education in a school that does not promote lying to parents.
There are many reasons for declining enrollment in public schools, but this one will certainly drive more families out of the public schools. In turn that means new supporters for school choice programs. It seems odd that Democrats have become the biggest proponents for school choice programs in New Hampshire, but we are seeing families fleeing their public schools because of policies like JBAB. The parent who is currently suing the Manchester district over JBAB removed her child from the school district.
In Manchester alone, the families are leaving because funding is now available to them through the Scholarship program and the EFAs. School Choice proponents are not happy about the defeat of SB272, but are cheering as they know more parents will become new supporters of these programs.
My role has always been to support public education in New Hampshire. A quality academic education where parents are respected in their role, is a ticket to increasing enrollment. So why is this recipe rejected by Democrats? That’s something that you will have to ask them. I prefer to look for ways to improve the public schools while they look for ways to push families out of them.
One thing’s for sure, those who worked hard to defeat SB272 have done more to help the school choice movement than any Republican could have hoped for.
