What would your town look like without its school?
Though I have loved living in New Hampshire for 50 years, I now spend a lot of time in Florida to be with my grandchildren. In the nearby district of Orange County, seven elementary schools are closing. Reasons given are state-funded vouchers, budget shortfalls and declining enrollment. The New Hampshire legislature has been pursuing a route of expanding both vouchers and open enrollment options for several years now.
While I support choice (we homeschooled five children when they were young, delaying their eventual school attendance), I would never support measures that would financially erode our public school system. Schools in rural New Hampshire communities are not only educational centers but hubs for the community at large. If state schools were funded fairly — as mandated by our constitution — choice would not be an issue. It’s about the money. That is the hinge, getting the state to pay its fair share. Then, policies that allow students to leave the district taking tuition with them would not create hardship for the sending school. We are 50th in the nation for state contribution per student. What happened in Florida took three years. It can happen here.
Please write to your representatives to oppose HB 751 currently in the House.