Releases

After Committee Adopts HB1431, NEA-NH Hopeful On News of Promised Veto

HB 1431 was adopted with amendments by the Committee of Conference today. Even after the adoption of amendments, HB1431 still requires mandatory, immediate disclosure to parents about changes in gender identity and expression at school – it interferes in parent-child relationships, causes harm to vulnerable LGBTQ+ and other students, and undermines school efforts to create affirming, inclusive learning environments. “Parents and teachers in New Hampshire have been working together for a long time to ensure our schools consistently provide what’s best for our children and their education,” said Megan Tuttle, NEA-New Hampshire President. “HB 1431 disregards these well-tended relationships, substituting […]

NEA-NH Statement on Senate Passage of HB 1431

Parents and teachers in New Hampshire have been working together for a long time to ensure our schools consistently provide what’s best for our children and their education. It’s part of the reason New Hampshire is always in the top 5 ranked public school systems in the country. Instead of building upon the on-going parent-teacher relationship, HB 1431 takes the opposite approach. Its broad language around so-called rights and notice, particularly on the heels of the banned concepts law, coupled with the threat of litigation will only provoke a greater chill in our schools. Rather than working to encourage educators […]

We Are At A Tipping Point This Teacher Appreciation Week

Dear NEA-NH Member, Today marks the beginning of Teacher Appreciation week in America. I don’t know about you, but this year I’d appreciate some real appreciation for the work we do.  Don’t get me wrong, the thank you notes and thoughtful gestures we receive this time of year from our students and supportive parents make my year brighter – and I know you feel the same way. But this year feels different. Being an educator is one of the hardest jobs in the world and it’s never been harder than right now. New Hampshire’s Commissioner of Education is once again […]

A headshot of Megan Tuttle

NEA-NH Applauds Senate Decision to Kill Local Education Caps

NEA-NH is relieved that HB 1393 was killed by the Senate today. The way New Hampshire funds public education is already grossly inadequate and inequitable. The nonsensical, rigid methodology the bill envisioned takes this educational inequality and amplifies it,  disrupting our students’ learning environments and removing the very services and staff that have helped them recover from the uncertainty of the past 18 months. We are pleased the vote respected the will of the vast majority of those parents and citizens who testified against the bill.

NEA-NH: The Solution Must Include Improving Pay If We Are Serious About Tackling the Educator Shortage

CONCORD, NH – APRIL 26, 2022: Today, NEA shared the findings from multiple reports that look at educator salaries, earnings, and school finances. These latest reports come at a time when a staggering 55 percent of educators are thinking about leaving the profession earlier than they had planned. “Unfortunately, all our studies show that rather than closing persistent pay gaps, we are moving in the wrong direction,” said Megan Tuttle, NEA-NH President, “and it’s hitting our ESP’s the hardest.” The Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) most recent analysis of teacher pay finds a 19.2% wage penalty for teachers when compared to […]

Commissioner Edelblut’s Efforts to Destabilize NH Schools Must Be Stopped

There are more than 160 local and national groups across the U.S. working to turn disagreements over COVID-related mandates and lessons on history, discrimination, race, and gender into divisive wedges that are then manipulated for political purposes. It is safe to say that if the New Hampshire Department of Education is not on that list, it certainly should be added. The manufactured outrage generated by these groups, including our own DOE, is a danger to educators and a distraction from helping students and parents. By importing national fights into our locally controlled schools, the Commissioner is hoping to use our […]