Background on School Vouchers in New Hampshire
This legislative session, anti-public education politicians are moving ahead with bills aimed at further expanding New Hampshire’s school voucher program, which directly takes public money away from public schools, forcing property-poor communities to raise property taxes.
Most of us believe that every student deserves a well-rounded curriculum that will nurture their imagination and freedom to learn. That’s why 86% of New Hampshire families choose public schools.
All children should have the freedom to pursue their dreams, so we must equip every public school with the resources to deliver quality education that prepares every child for the future, no matter their race, whether or not they have a disability, or how much money their parents make.
The long and shameful history of vouchers is something that a few shady elected leaders don’t want you to know. In many cities, public education funding was funneled to private “segregation academies” where white children received better resources than children of color.
New Hampshire’s runaway voucher program, which will divert $24 million from public schools this school year, or a whopping 275% increase in cost since it started, is part of a broader anti-public school agenda. Many of the politicians who want to send public taxpayer dollars to unaccountable private and religious schools are also attacking an honest and inclusive education, targeting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice work, and transgender students. Many share the same goal: to dismantle public schools.
Together, we can demand our lawmakers invest in our public schools so that every public school can offer a robust curriculum, including courses like world languages, art, music, health, and lab sciences
We’re doing this by organizing public education justice house parties where parents and community members can come together to discuss what is happening in our public schools, the attacks on public education, and how we can come together to demand fully funded, honest, and inclusive public schools.
Send a message to your elected officials today: value and fund public schools, not school vouchers!
