Some Pelham residents attended the annual Deliberative Session this week. Residents listened to the details of the school operating budget that will be placed on the ballot in March. Residents will then decide if they want to support the budget as presented or vote it down. If they do not support the budget, the default budget will be the budget that will be used.
During the proceedings, one resident brought forward a motion to reduce the budget by about $17,000.00. This money is used to pay dues to the New Hampshire School Administrators Association. (NHSAA)
The NHSAA lobbies the legislature on proposed legislation that could become law. This means that taxpayers are paying for lobbyists to weigh in on legislation in Concord. But is this even fair to taxpayers?
This same week, the New Hampshire Legislative Administration Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1479. This legislation, if passed into law, would regulate the use of public funds for lobbying activities and establish certain additional enforcement mechanisms. Many taxpayers are fed up paying the salaries of lobbyists who offer one-sided political opinions on legislation—especially when they disagree with those one-sided political viewpoints.
A few weeks ago, the NHSAA lobbyist testified against legislation that would prohibit materials that are obscene or harmful to minors in school and create a procedure for removal and cause of action.
Some of the materials available to children in public schools are obscene and pornographic. One parent even testified how the books now include hyperlinks that could put children in danger by connecting them with sexual predators. HB1419 would protect children from accessing this kind of harmful material. When children are assigned Chromebooks in school, the firewall blocks pornographic websites, so why are pornographic books ok for children to access?
Taxpayers are forced to fund these lobbyists with the dues that come out of the school budget. Not only is this unfair, it’s a scam on taxpayers. Teachers have to pay for their lobbyists, why do taxpayers have to pay for the lobbyists working on behalf of school administrators?
This money could be better spent on bonuses for teachers and paraprofessionals and then eventually returned to the taxpayers in the following years.
Chip McGee, Superintendent in Pelham, spoke after this motion was made to stop paying dues to the NHSAA. He attempts to make the audience believe he’s just adding to the discussion by mentioning how the NHSAA also lobbied to change the requirement for families to fill out the FASFA before a student graduates from high school.
There is no need for this lobbying organization to attend these hearings, McGee can send written testimony himself to weigh in on legislation. That would save Pelham $17,000.00, and residents wouldn’t be paying for lobbyists who lobby against their views.
It wasn’t long ago that McGee was in the hot seat when he was working as the Superintendent in Bedford:
Superintendent of Bedford Schools Chip McGee resigned today after public outcry over his decision to authorize a district staffer to testify on behalf of Kristie Torbick, a former Bedford guidance counselor convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old student in Exeter.
https://www.nhpr.org/news/2018-07-27/bedford-superintendent-resigns-amid-controversy-over-staffers-testimony-at-sexual-assault-hearing
One would think that after hearing from a resident who has concerns about the NHSAA opposing legislation that prohibits obscenity in public schools, McGee would be a little more empathetic to taxpayers who do not want to pay for this kind of lobbying. Instead, you can see him make a compelling case to keep scamming the taxpayers by sending that money to the NHSAA. Not once does he mention anything about concern for pornographic content that has now seeped into our public schools. He just glosses over that fact and points to the NHSAA’s efforts to lobby for another Bill.
What has happened to the leadership in our public schools? Why are they so callous about sexual predators and obscene materials that are available to children?
Stopitnow.org is an organization dedicated to stopping the sexual abuse of children. They explain on their website that when adults give children pornographic content, that is considered sexual abuse.
A Pelham resident says taxpayers shouldn’t fund lobbyists who oppose prohibiting the practice of sexual abuse, and Superintendent McGee makes the case that this organization did something he agreed with. Is it any wonder that trust in school officials by parents is at an all-time low?
Superintendent Chip McGee was driven out of Bedford by the parents, only to show up in Pelham. Now that he’s in Pelham, it doesn’t appear he’s learned anything from the last fiasco that brought about his resignation.
One thing’s for sure, if they have money to waste on this expenditure, we know that this district isn’t hurting for funding. They claim they need to raise the budget for needed expenses when, in fact, they are wasting money on lobbyists who do not want to protect children in our public schools. Parents and taxpayers are losing trust in their public schools, which doesn’t help public education at all. Check those declining enrollment numbers!
Source NH Dept. of Ed
