CONCORD, NH – Today, the New Hampshire House voted 185-175 in support of a state budget proposal that would erode the foundation of public education and jeopardize the health and wellbeing of New Hampshire’s children and families.
Megan Tuttle, President of NEA-New Hampshire, provided the following statement after the vote:
“Budgets are about choices and reflect the values of their creators.
New Hampshire politicians are choosing to prioritize business tax cuts and handouts for the wealthy over programs that support our most vulnerable citizens – children. Politicians are choosing to slash funding for higher education, Medicaid, and developmental disability services so they can dramatically expand the state’s unaccountable private school voucher scheme and take even more public dollars away from public schools.
The values of these politicians are clear—but they are not in line with our values as a state. Overwhelmingly, Granite Staters support their local public schools, which are attended by nearly 90% of students.
New Hampshire needs a state budget that invests in public education and protects the rights of students with disabilities but the budget as it stands falls short of delivering on that promise. New Hampshire students, families, and communities deserve better.”
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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.
