I reported here that Lauren Doukas made a PUBLIC statement before the Goffstown School Board on September 11th (39:00) where she mentioned she worked as a paraprofessional at an elementary school in Manchester.
In her statement, she mentioned that in the school where she works, kindergarten students were learning about transgender pronouns and different families and structures.
At the next Goffstown school board meeting on October 4th, several weeks after the September 11th meeting, Doukas followed up with additional comments you can listen to here. (1:55:40)
Doukas claimed that she was targeted after the September 11th meeting through an OpEd, and that it included untruths and disinformation. However, I included the video from the September 11th meeting so everyone could listen to what she said during public comments. (39:00)
I reported that she was a resident of Goffstown who brought up her professional role as a paraprofessional at the school where she worked in Manchester. She then went on to inform everyone at the September PUBLIC school board meeting that the kindergarten students were learning about pronouns, and about different families and structures. Based on her presentation, she appeared to be quite proud of what they were teaching to young children.
Is she under the impression that when you attend a PUBLIC school board meeting, where you make a PUBLIC statement, that this information will not be shared? Doukas made a public statement that we can all respect. However, one can respect her opinion, and offer a difference of opinion, too. Teaching kindergarten children about transgender pronouns or different sexual lifestyles, may not be what all parents believe is appropriate for their children.
Other residents who attended the September Goffstown School Board meeting cited state law RSA 186:11 -IX-c when directing the administration to remove the bulletin board. Parents have the right to opt their children out of controversial materials, and state law also requires notification. You can hear one resident cite those state laws at (35:00). Goffstown appeared to be violating state law by not giving parents notice, which would allow parents to opt out of this kind of material.
In the second presentation (1:55:40) before the Goffstown School Board, Doukas attempts to clarify her presentation to the board as if the information I reported on was somehow distorted. Once again, all people have to do is go to the Sept. 11 Goffstown school board meeting (39:00) to hear exactly what she presented. Mills Fall Charter School lists Doukas as a paraprofessional on their website. All of this information is factual and public.
At the September Goffstown School Board meeting, Doukas stated in her PUBLIC comment, “I speak to you as a paraprofessional in an elementary Manchester school.” Doukas stated her name at the beginning of the school board meeting as everyone must do. She very clearly stated she was speaking in her role as a paraprofessional at an elementary Manchester school. Public meetings are recorded which is why I included the link so readers could hear the testimony directly from the person speaking. Nothing was distorted as it was originally reported.
Doukas then publicized that the Mill Falls Charter School had taken complaints against her from the Department of Education. At the board meeting in September, she could hear the other residents reference state laws that govern schools when presenting the kind of content posted on the bulletin board. Knowing that this kind of controversial content must be presented to parents to review so they can opt their children out, Doukas chose to make a public statement that her school in Manchester (Mill Falls) was providing similar content to kindergarten students. Instead of boasting about all of this, administrators at Mills Fall would have been better served if Doukas came back to them to discuss the possibility of Mill Falls violating state statutes too.
Where is the tolerance?
Everyone knows that gender and sexual identity, as it is presented to children in a public school, will be a controversial topic. That is why the law is in place. To show respect to parents who have a different viewpoint. Some parents may share the same viewpoint on sexuality, but maybe they want the topic introduced when their child is more mature. There are many different reasons for making sure parents are informed, and have the ability to opt their children out of this content.
Doukas never mentioned anything about respecting different viewpoints parents may have when it comes to these topics. She made it clear that parents better get used to it. That’s not how public education works. Public schools are subjected to regulations per state statute. No one gets to push a sexual narrative on children in New Hampshire. Parents must be informed, and then parents have the right to opt their child out of that content.
Doukas called this a targeted attack on a large group of people, and she now feels the Goffstown School Board is in the crosshairs. She appears to be ignoring the laws that are in place that require action by district personnel. No one presenting to the board can push their narrative on students. She does not speak for all in the LGBTQ community, either. Parents of LGBTQ students may also wish to be informed on what their children will be learning in school. This law respects all parents. Parents get to decide what is appropriate for their children.
With the mass exodus we are seeing in public education, these kinds of laws show respect for the parents and students. Families are less likely to remove their child from public school if their viewpoint is respected.
There was no targeted attack on anyone. Doukas shared information at a PUBLIC school board meeting that the Charter School she worked in may be violating state law. In addition, her statement to the Goffstown school board appeared to support Goffstown’s violating state law because she supports the political and sexual narrative presented on the bulletin board.
Why not raise your four children the way you want, and show some respect for parents who want to raise their children the way they want to? That’s mutual respect between people who have different viewpoints.
To unify this community, this would be a good time to find some common ground. That can be done by following the law, and focusing on academics. Instead of pushing any political narrative on children, simply teach them to be kind and show others dignity and respect. This is something all parents can support.
Parents have reported that Doukas has herself targeted conservative elected local and state officials online for years. Maybe this is a good time for her to reevaluate how she has treated people with different viewpoints, and then model the behavior she expects from others.
