I wonder if teachers and administrators at Windham High School in New Hampshire, and other schools throughout the state, realize that having campaign signs and other campaign materials in the classroom is likely a misdemeanor in the state of NH?
Related: Electioneering: Nashua Teacher’s Union Breaks the Law Again and Violates Their Contract
TITLE LXIII, ELECTIONS, CHAPTER 659, ELECTION PROCEDURE, Prohibited Acts, Section 659:44-a
659:44-a Electioneering by Public Employees. –
- No public employee, as defined in RSA 273-A:1, IX, shall electioneer while in the performance of his or her official duties
- No public employee shall use government property or equipment, including, but not limited to, telephones, facsimile machines, vehicles, and computers, for electioneering.
III. For the purposes of this section, “electioneer” means to act in any way specifically designed to influence the vote of a voter on any question or office. - Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Source. 2003, 172:2, eff. June 18, 2003. 2016, 176:1, eff. Jan. 1, 2017.
While the Electioneering law, as written, doesn’t specifically address visible campaign signs, I would argue that line number III of the above text adequately covers multiple, and visible candidate signs in the classroom.
Some of the older students are at or near, the legal age for voting. Additionally, parents often enter the classroom for various reasons, so these signs are clearly designed to indoctrinate.
The signs that I am aware of happen to be campaign signs for Mayor Pete, but frankly, I would be just as outraged if they were signs for President Trump or any other candidate. The law is the law.
Windham High School administration, as well as other schools across the state, should require all signs and materials of this nature to be removed immediately.
By Anonymous
