CONCORD, NH – Today, the New Hampshire House of Representatives voted 186-185 in support of HB 1312, which would expand the notification requirement for objectionable material beyond sex education to also include sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. This bill also unnecessarily puts educators between students and their families and creates a liability for educators as to how certain personal information should be handled. HB 1312 next goes to the New Hampshire Senate for further consideration.
Megan Tuttle, President of NEA-New Hampshire, provided the following statement after the vote:
“Every student deserves a safe space to learn and grow, but HB 1312 demands educators deny young people’s right to live free at school.
Let’s be clear – this bill will make it more difficult for educators to be that “One Trusted Adult” as outlined in the New Hampshire Department of Education’s program established to prevent bullying and mental health and substance abuse issues while promoting self-esteem, community engagement, and availability for learning.
Educators and families work well together to support New Hampshire students, but once again politicians are using these critical relationships as a political football in their conservative culture wars. NEA-New Hampshire urges the New Hampshire Senate to reject HB 1312.”
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About NEA-New Hampshire
NEA-New Hampshire is the largest union of public employees in the state. Founded in 1854, the New Hampshire State Teachers Association became one of the “founding ten” state education associations that formed the National Education Association in 1857. Known today as NEA-NH, and comprised of more than 17,000 members, our mission to advocate for the children of New Hampshire and public-school employees, and to promote lifelong learning, remains true after more than 165 years. Our members are public school employees in all stages of their careers, including classroom teachers and other certified professionals, staff and instructors at public higher education institutions, students preparing for a teaching career, education support personnel and those retired from the profession.