NH lawmakers split over bill mandating teachers tell all about students to parents

CONCORD − House lawmakers were split over whether to recommend a bill, SB 341, that would require school employees to answer any parent questions about their students “honestly and completely,” voting 10-10 along party lines.

Over 30 people testified against the bill Monday, including teacher unions in New Hampshire and the ACLU. Many raised fears that the bill could out students who aren’t yet ready to share their sexual orientation or gender identity with their parents. Teachers said that it puts them in a difficult position.

On Tuesday, House Education Committee members clashed over the bill. They were not able to make a definitive recommendation for the full House as they split evenly for and against it.

Bill is about parental rights and stopping lies, say Republicans

Rep. Valerie McDonald, R-Salem, said that she thinks there has been a “substantial misunderstanding” with the bill in regard to New Hampshire’s LGBTQ plus students.

“The bill recognizes the role of educators as mandatory reporters and the fundamental rights of parents to guide the upbringing of their minor children,” she said. “I'd like to underscore that nothing within this bill even mentions any particular community, never mind targets any particular community.”

She continued that she thinks that both teachers and parents should collaborate to make sure to get the best possible opportunities for all students, including transgender students, even if that means difficult conversations.

Despite the opposition presented in testimony Monday, Rep. Arlene Quaratiello, R-Atkinson, stood firm in support of the bill.

“I don't care if 100 people came in yesterday to oppose this bill and one supported it. It basically says you shall not lie,” said Quaratiello. “And therefore that is why it should be supported.”.

“Nothing” can fix this bill, say Democrats

Rep. David Luneau, D-Hopkinton, said that no amount of amendments could change his vote against this bill.

“It baffles me that this committee can’t seem to bring itself to listen to and respond to the overwhelming amount of testimony from parents, from teachers, from experts, from students, from trans kids, from trans athletes, and from cisgender athletes, when it comes to looking at this failure,” Luneau said.

Rep. Hope Damon, D-Croydon said she thinks the legislation is “very emotional and concerning.”

“I will be voting to oppose this bill because I think that when you violate or persecute one group, it is just the beginning of what follows from there,” Damon said.

Lesser-known candidate for Democratic nominee for governor, Jon Kiper, released a statement against SB 341 and others he said are "undermining the rights of transgender youth."

“This package of fearmongering bills targeting our already vulnerable youth population is just another attempt by the dying Republican Party to avoid addressing the real problems Granite Staters face,” said Kiper. “All that the Republicans have left is scare tactics, and they’re doing it at the expense of our children’s health, privacy, and safety.”

SB 341 will now go to the full House for a vote at a date not yet determined.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: NH lawmakers split over bill mandating teachers tell all to parents