High School Students: Public Education Under Attack In New Hampshire

By InDepth NH

Distinguished Members of the Education Committee,

During the on-going COVID-19 pandemic, our incredible public school teachers, administrators, and workers have truly met the moment making it possible for us to learn safely during this difficult time.

That’s one of the many reasons why we’re incredibly alarmed by a bill thatmembers of your committee are supporting that diverts funds away from public schools, New Hampshire House of Representatives bill HB20. Because of the Governor’s draconian budget and the unpopular policies his administration is pushing, it is clear that public education in New Hampshire is under attack. The aforementioned bill, HB20 is just one example. It would provide families the option of sending their tax payerdollars to other educational institutions rather than their local public schools. In other words, HB 20 is a voucher system that would strip our valued and ever-necessary public schools of hundreds of thousands of dollars each, and quite possibly more. A single town, for instance, with roughly eighteen children sent to private schools whose parents opt into sending their tax money to these private institutions, would lose downwards of $67,000.

This math only incorporates the absolute minimum figure which represents the tax voucher, to put it into perspective. If this bill were to be passed in the NH legislature, it, along with Governor Sununu’s proposed budget, would create an immense struggle for public schools across the state, even more than they are already experiencing.

According to a report from Reaching Higher NH, “There is no stated provision where the scholarship organization must complete a comprehensive financial audit, submit proof or records of fiscal management, or any other oversight to ensure that the organization, or families, are using public funds for their stated purpose.”

This could open the door for a complete misuse of the taxpayer dollars, ultimately hurting students, our teachers, and our communities. Voting to divert funds away from our public schools in the middle of this pandemic will have serious and tangible consequences for students like us. We encourage you to vote against HB 20 and to end this senseless attack on New Hampshire’s public schools.

Signed,

Aaron Russell, Concord High School; Ella McCown, Concord High School; Greta Norton, Concord High School; Jennifer Aquino-Patzan, Concord High School; Mattison Howard, Concord High School; Mia Hand, Concord High School; Sarah West, Concord High School; Fiona Elliott, Concord High School; Nikhil Chavda, Cow-Brown Northwood Academy; Hana Suljevic, Manchester Central High School; Lilly Tague-Bleau, Manchester Central High School; Christina Horne, Milford High School; Cyrus Sullivan, Milford High School; Grace Carpenter, Milford High School; Heather McGinley, Milford High School; Eliana Romero, Nashua High School North; Addison Hebert, Nashua High School North; Asma Akbar, Nashua High School South; Austin Bartnicki, Nashua High School South; Christina Menke, Nashua High School South; Clara Chung, Nashua High School South; Dante Castellano, Nashua High School South; Raina Shroff, Nashua High School South; Rishi Patel, Nashua High School South; Samay Sahu, Nashua High School South; Sara Thellen, Nashua High School South; Gus Vigorito, Newmarket High School; Zoe McGuirk, Newmarket High School; Grace Lunney, Newmarket High School; Deepthi Onkaram, Oyster River High School; Ella Gianino, Oyster River High School; Katherine Discoe, Oyster River High School; Kathy McEwan, Oyster River High School; Maya Ajit, Oyster River High School; Trysten McClain, Plymouth Regional High School (alumni); Stefan West, Rundlett Middle School; JJ DeFeo, Sanborn Regional High School; Julia Daniel, Souhegan High School; Maddie Daniel, Souhegan High School; Christianna Kosta, Timberlane Regional High School; Max Beckerman, Timberlane Regional High School; Rosalie Averill, Timberlane Regional High School; Sophia Biondolillo, VLACS.

This story was originally published by InDepth NH.