On Jan. 6, Pembroke Academy hosted a community-wide dialogue about the increasingly divisive issue of school funding. In nearly four decades as a resident and educator, I have never witnessed such an event. The real headline should have been: “The community came out and talked with each other.” This simple act — neighbors gathering to speak openly — was the true story.
The meeting was convened under the inspiration of Pembroke School Board Chair Melanie Camelo, with the cooperation of superintendents Jessica Bickford and Jack Finley of SAU 53. Invitations went out to state representatives and Senator Howard Pearl, and the turnout included teachers, administrators, school board members and elected officials from Deerfield, Pittsfield, Chichester and Pembroke. All present understood the divisive impact of town budgets’ bottom line, and the significant share that education claims from it. The risk of coming together to talk was worth it.
Before the meeting, my colleagues in the House asked my perspective. Having worked closely with the Pembroke School Board and Superintendent Bickford for years, I vouched for their integrity and sincere desire to do what’s best for our children. I recommended attending, eager for the chance to speak with my neighbors and those who elected me. Now is the time for conversation — before the painful budget meetings begin.
Yet, the departure of two state representatives in frustration became the headline, overshadowing the real substance of the evening. A community eager to hear about educational priorities—open enrollment and Education Freedom Accounts — saw their representatives silenced by a facilitator from “New Hampshire Listens,” a group from UNH clearly unfamiliar with our close-knit community.
The facilitator’s approach stifled dialogue, narrowing the scope and refusing to let experts respond to critical questions. When Representative Cyril Aures of Chichester, an expert on EFAs, offered to answer a question, the facilitator forbade it. Disrespect is no avenue for dialogue, and the representatives, who volunteer countless hours, saw the meeting take a political turn and left. The question remained unanswered, and the Monitor’s coverage highlighted polarization rather than the genuine attempt at conversation. If the goal was to “humanize” anyone, the article missed the mark.
What needs to be heard — locally and nationally — is this: “If you have a single line in any budget that cannot be capped, the budget cannot be capped.” No budget can be capped if it contains a federally mandated line that increases. You can only cap potential with cuts to general ed “electives.”
Since President Jimmy Carter ended the era of “state schools” and enforced IDEA for individuals with disabilities, our system has become more humane but, with mandated increases, unmanageable. Programs in general education — music, language, art — can be cut, and while the needs of musicians and artists may go unmet, their education will be deemed “adequate” by a desperate state.
The truth is, needs know no party. Education is essential, resources are limited, and priorities are the stuff of debate, tension and, too often, acrimony. We are not allowed to discuss special education, protected by federal mandate. Until we do, there can be no solution to the school funding crisis.
In SAU 53, communities came out to talk for the first time. That is the headline. In Pembroke, we will always come out to talk. It is never over.
I told the mother from Epsom depicted in the article that, “I would mandate that we continue this conversation between you and me.” The warm conversation with the mother and more neighbors continued long after the meeting had ended, and it must continue. Now there is a precedent. Now, there is hope.
Rep. Peter Mehegan has taught since 1978, and in Pembroke since 1987. He is in his first term as state Representative for Pembroke.