 | Hello and welcome to another edition of School Zone, the Concord Monitor's education newsletter.
This week, everyone's talking about House Bill 20, a school funding education bill that would create a voucher-style program allowing NH parents to use public school funds toward private school tuition. The Concord School Board spoke out against the bill Monday, saying it hurts public schools.
We'll continue to cover this story as it unfolds, so if you're someone who would be impacted (either positively or negatively) by this bill's passage, I'd like to hear from you.
Also this week we have a story on updated background check policies for Concord school employees, and some contrasting op-eds that are pro and con vaccinating teachers in Phase 1.
As always, let me know what you would like to see covered in our community.
Eileen O'Grady
Education reporter
Concord Monitor / Report for America
Contact Me:
eogrady@cmonitor.com
Twitter @eileenogrady27
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|  | Republican House leadership unveiled a bill Tuesday to allow Granite State parents to use public school funds toward private school tuition – the first step in what is expected to be a major legislative battle this year.
Story by Concord Monitor reporter Ethan DeWitt |
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| | | | Every employee, volunteer or independent contractor who works with the Concord School District will be required to undergo a criminal background check and do training in child abuse prevention, according to a recently-updated policy. |
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| | | Although the Concord area may have missed the worst of the winter storm, central New Hampshire schools made different decisions about whether to cancel classes Tuesday. |
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| | | Terri Forsten, the former superintendent of the Concord School District, voluntarily surrendered her educator credentials more than a year after an independent investigation concluded she made several missteps that jeopardized student safety. |
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| | The Weare School District deliberative session has been delayed at least two weeks, although a dispute over how to safely hold the meeting during a pandemic means the next meeting date is far from certain.
Story by Concord Monitor reporter David Brooks |
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Dartmouth College announced it would reinstate five men’s and women’s athletic teams it cut last summer, following threats of a class-action lawsuit alleging the college was violating Title IX, a federal law that protects against sex discrimination.
Story by Daniela Allee of NH Public Radio |
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| | The grave of late Concord teacher Christa McAuliffe at Blossom Hill cemetery was adorned with flowers and gifts left by people in Concord and others from further away.
Story by Concord Monitor reporters Ethan DeWitt and Geoff Forester
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Dartmouth College announced it would reinstate five men’s and women’s athletic teams it cut last summer, following threats of a class-action lawsuit alleging the college was violating Title IX, a federal law that protects against sex discrimination.
Story by Daniela Allee of NH Public Radio |
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| | Compared to many public schools, the day is relatively unchanged for students at Newport Montessori. Students are kept in pods, with more barriers between them, but instruction is happening full-time, in person.
Story by Kelly Burch of the Granite State News Collaborative |
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| | Pressure is building on school systems around the U.S. to reopen classrooms to students who have been learning online for nearly a year, pitting politicians against teachers who have yet to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Story by Michael Kunzelman and Holly Ramer of the Associated Press. |
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| | A Black Dartmouth College football player who was suspended for two years after the college concluded he sexually assaulted a fellow student, claims the investigation was biased and racist, according to a lawsuit he filed this week.
Story by Anna Merriman of Valley News |
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| In this op-ed, State Reps. Mel Myler, Dave Luneau and Mary Heath write that Gov. Chris Sununu’s decision to not vaccinate K-12 educators in Phase 1 of the vaccine rollout goes against CDC guidelines. |
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| In this op-ed, Concord resident Dr. Jon Pearse responds to the op-ed by State Representatives, writing that data shows community spread of COVID isn't as much of a risk in school settings. |
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| In this op-ed, Hillsborough resident Susan Shamel writes in opposition to school funding education bill, House Bill 20. |
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| In this op-ed, Pembroke resident David Doherty writes in opposition to school funding education bill, House Bill 20. |
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Eileen O'Grady is education reporter for the Concord Monitor. O’Grady is the former managing editor of Scope magazine at Northeastern University in Boston, where she reported on social justice issues, community activism, local politics and the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a native Vermonter and worked as a reporter covering local politics for the Shelburne News and the Citizen. Her work has also appeared in The Boston Globe, U.S. News & World Report, The Bay State Banner, and VTDigger. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Northeastern University and a bachelor’s degree in politics and French from Mount Holyoke College, where she served as news editor for the Mount Holyoke News from 2017-2018.
Advertising opportunities available in School Zone. Contact John Mattes at jmattes@cmonitor.com or 369-3242. |
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