Havenstein Asks Hassan to Withdraw Nomination

Republican gubernatorial candidate Walt Havenstein is calling on Gov. Maggie Hassan to withdraw the nomination of Bill Duncan for the state Board of Education.

Havenstein called Duncan an anti-charter school activist who, based on his lawsuit against the state's education tax credit, should not be up for consideration.

"The State Board of Education is a place for many opinions, but it is irresponsible to appoint an anti-charter school activist to regulate something he wants to destroy," Havenstein said. "Mr. Duncan is engaged in an ongoing lawsuit against the state challenging the school choice law, and Gov. Hassan wants him to regulate the subject of that lawsuit. Nor should she entrust the care of New Hampshire’s charter schools to the most the vocal opponent of those schools in the state. Maggie Hassan should withdraw Mr. Duncan’s nomination."
 
Duncan, who has produced and curated the site Advancing New Hampshire Public Education, was a vocal critic of the education tax credit and advocated for a bill to repeal the state law. The court case against the law, Bill Duncan et al vs. State of NH et al, was recently heard by the New Hampshire Supreme Court.

Duncan is nominated to succeed James Schubert of Hampton for a term that would end in 2018.