Educators, Taxpayers Rally for NH Schools

Several educators and citizens rallied in the Portsmouth Public Library parking lot on Parrott Avenue Thursday to urge the state Senate to support a House bill that would repeal what they call the "Bradley-O'Brien education voucher law."

The New Hampshire House of Representatives recently passed House Bill 370 that would repeal the law which allows parents to send their children to any school of their choice.

During Thursday's rally and press conference, several speakers stated why the law should be repealed. They also launched an online petition to build support for their effort.

"I am very glad to be able to speak on behalf of HB370. As a former teacher and a person still engaged in the education of 13 grand children, I know first hand how precious and few are the resources of our education system.  Any money taken away from the children is  a crime.  For every child who takes a voucher the school for ALL our children loose between $3,000 and $8,000," said Lucretia Ganley.

Marjorie Taft echoed those sentiments. "Public schools deserve funding, and I am concerned that diverting state funding for these voucher systems could have a really negative impact on our public schools. I was a public school teacher until I retired and I have definitely have an interest in seeing our schools supported."

Scott McGilvray, president of the National Education Association of New Hampshire, said the current education voucher law will take as much as $90 million from the current New Hampshire public education system at time when it already underfunded.

"The current voucher scheme will take as much as $90 million out of New Hampshire's public schools over the next ten years and put it into private, religious and home schools - a practice not allowed by our Constitution, and a betrayal of their fiduciary responsibilities and the public trust by those who voted to enact this law," he said.