4RG - MAGGIE HASSAN ABANDONS POOR AND MIDDLE CLASS CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Candidate Lives At One Of Nation’s Most Elite Schools, Wants to Prevent Access For Less Fortunate

CONCORD, N.H.—Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Maggie Hassan continued her track record of mean-spirited hypocrisy by pledging to repeal a scholarship program that allows less fortunate children to attend private school all while living on the campus of one of the nation’s most prestigious prep schools, according to 4RG Chairman Andrew Hemingway.

NEA-NH-endorsed Maggie Hassan lives on the campus of Phillips Exeter Academy, which was ranked by Forbes as the sixth best prep school in the country. Her husband, principal of the prestigious private school, rakes in a salary of $250,000 a year. 

Yet, Hassan, when talking with a group of supporters about ways to bring in more money so she can increase government spending, suggested: “you can repeal this school voucher system that [Republicans] just passed, which is going to divert money to private schools.” (Please view this video starting at 4:07: www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQcXIbjGi-g.)

Hassan was referring to SB 372, which offers a tax credit to companies that put money into a scholarship program that will help poor and middle class students attend a private school.

“Maggie Hassan is perfectly comfortable launching her political career from the grounds of one of the nation’s best schools where her family lives and receives a substantial financial benefit, yet she is very quick to deny poor and middle class children the chance to attend a private school with children of her same financial capacity,” Hemingway said. “Do New Hampshire residents really want a governor who gives lip service to middle class families and those even less fortunate all while denying these same people the educational opportunities that her children have always had?

“I think it’s about time that someone shines a light on Maggie Hassan’s hypocrisy,” Hemingway added. “Maggie Hassan lives by a double standard under which people of her ‘stature’ deserve the best money has to offer, but children of middle- and low-income families have to be subjected to NEA-run schools that aim to provide an ‘adequate education’ at the very best. Don’t middle class and lower class children deserve the same ‘excellent education’ that Maggie Hassan’s two children received?”

###

About 4RG
4RG, which means “For a Republican Governor,” was founded by Andrew Hemingway as a PAC focused exclusively on supporting Republican candidates for governor. 4RG intends to fill voids in grassroots organizing, polling, door knocking and literature drops for Republican governor candidates all across the country. Additionally, the organization will promote its candidates online using social media technology developed by the founder. Please donate to 4RG to help us augment Republican governor campaign activities where we’re needed most, which will slowly help us work to restore our state governments as the strong Republics they once were. For more information, visit www.4RG.org.

American Federation for Children Condemns Teachers Union Bullying of Louisiana Schools

I just wanted to make sure you saw the pretty remarkable news concerning lawsuit threats from the Louisiana Association of Educators' against individual voucher schools if they did not drop out of the program. We wrote a release about it yesterday -- please see below.

And as I'm sure you've seen, The Advocate newspaper in Baton Rouge had a pretty direct -- and telling -- front page this morning. You can take a look at it here.

 

If you have any questions about the story or would like comment from the reform angle, please feel free to contact me. My information, both email and phone, are below. Thanks!

Malcom Glenn

National Director of Communications

American Federation for Children

#########

As low-income families access scholarships, threat from union lawyers aims to hurt thousands of families statewide

BATON ROUGE, LA (July 26, 2012)—The American Federation for Children—the nation’s voice for school choice—today condemned the actions of the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE), after counsel for the teachers union yesterday sent threatening letters to schools participating in Louisiana’s statewide voucher program, urging them to drop out of the program or face a lawsuit from the union.

The letter comes despite a judge’s ruling two weeks ago that dismissed a union attempt to get an injunction stopping the program.

In the letter, which was faxed to participating voucher schools yesterday evening, a law firm retained by the LAE union threatens to initiate litigation against individual schools if they do not pledge—in writing—by 4 p.m. local time tomorrow to cease participation in the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence (SSEE) program.

Kevin P. Chavous, a senior advisor to the Federation, denounced the bullying tactics as a remarkably cruel attempt to block children from attending the schools their parents have chosen for them.

“It’s despicable that adults would use the threat of legal action to stop schools from accepting students who desperately want a better education, thereby squashing their dreams and those of their parents,” Chavous said. “Even by standards of the typical special interest bullying tactics, this is an unbelievably demeaning and insulting action that aims ultimately to hurt the futures of thousands of children.”

The threatening letters to schools on behalf of LAE are in contrast with the strong demand for the program. LAE’s actions came just a day after the Department of Education announced the extension of 5,637 scholarship offers to students to participate in the program this fall—just a portion of the 10,300 applications the Department received—illustrating that any attempts to stop schools from participating in the program are at odds with the demand from parents.

Of the initial scholarship offers, 84 percent of students in first through 12th grade attended a school rated “D” or “F” by the state last year.

An accountability proposal from the department was also approved by the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) on Tuesday, further strengthening the program prior to yesterday’s bullying letters.

Chavous, a former D.C. City Council member who has also worked for years to reform education in Louisiana, reiterated that the recent LAE move was unprecedented in its callousness.

“Personal power should never, ever be put ahead of the best interest of disadvantaged children,” Chavous said. “These union leaders have no shame.”

Read this release online here.

ALG's Daily Grind: Delaying fiscal cliff better than lame duck fix

June 27, 2012

Delaying fiscal cliff better than lame duck fix

The Congress as currently composed and this Administration have proven incapable of producing a good deal for American taxpayers.

Video: The President Pushes America To Become Europe

You want Europe, Mr. President? You got Europe. Check out your economy.

Pelosi's Supreme Court hope

Former House speaker Nancy Pelosi has predicted that Obamacare will be upheld 6-3.

Voucher Applications Roll Forward in Louisiana Despite Legal Challenges from Teachers Unions

Parents and students who are ambitious to switch out of failing public schools have until June 30 to submit applications to be submitted to the state education department for scholarship funds that can be used to cover the full cost of private school tuition.

Kevin Smith applauds legislature’s vote to override veto of school choice bill

MANCHESTER – Today, Kevin Smith, Republican candidate for governor in New Hampshire, made the following statement regarding the vote to override the veto of SB 372, establishing an education tax credit for school choice:

“Today, New Hampshire took a major step toward real education reform in our state by overriding the governor’s veto of SB 372, which will allow businesses to receive a tax credit by establishing a program to award scholarship funds to New Hampshire students to attend a school of their choice.

“Students benefit from competition and choice – just like in our economy. By making school choice a reality and creating a greater array of options in education, everyone benefits andschools get better. What’s more, students and parents deserve the greatest amount of latitude in determining the right path for their schooling. Senate Bill 372 will help give the decision making authority back to the families and not those who wish to protect the status quo.

“Other states have employed innovative solutions to empower families and students, and provided real choices in education. Here in New Hampshire, the Democrats and Governor Lynch catered to labor unions and opposed this needed reform. In vetoing this bill, Governor Lynch showed how our children’s education has been high-jacked by special interests. Instead of looking out for the interests of New Hampshire’s families, he ignored them. I commend our legislature for uniting to override his veto of SB 372.

“Despite what Governor Lynch indicated, SB 372 is not about shifting funds among schools – it’s about giving students choices in education and getting our business community to more directly support the future workers of our state. If we are to put New Hampshire on a path toward greater prosperity and economic competitiveness, we must strengthen public schools and support choice in education. We cannot compete in the 21^st Century economy without a skilled workforce, and that begins with giving students the tools they need early in their academic lives.

“Improving public schools, and providing parents and students with greater choice and flexibility to get the education they need is a vital component to ensuring that New Hampshiredoesn’t fall behind its economic competitors in the future. And, it’s the right thing to do for our kids. Today, the State Senate and House have ensured that New Hampshire’s families will decide how education funds are spent for their school-aged children, not the government.”

Maggie Hassan: Republican Candidates, Legislature Have Wrong Priorities for Education, Middle-Class Families

Hassan, Education Advocates, Call on Legislature to Sustain Veto of Bill Sending Millions in Taxpayer Money to Private Schools

CONCORD –The Republican candidates for Governor and the legislature are wrong to divert millions of dollars in taxpayer money to private schools at the same time that state education cuts have increased property taxes and tuition costs for middle-class families, said Maggie Hassan, Democratic candidate for governor. 

Hassan was joined by Executive Council candidate Bill Duncan and Mary Heath, the former Deputy Commissioner of Education, at a press conference today calling on the legislature to sustain Governor Lynch’s vetoes of SB 372 and HB 1607. 

“As Governor, my first priority will be to build an economy that attracts innovative, growing companies to invest and create jobs in the Granite State,” said Hassan.  “The foundation of that effort is ensuring we have the best-trained workforce in the country.   I have visited businesses across the state and their message is clear: their own success and the success of our future economy depends on the success of our public schools.” 

Both Republican candidates for Governor, Ovide Lamontagne and Kevin Smith have signaled strong support for private school vouchers, and said they were “deeply disappointed” and “dismayed” by Governor Lynch’s vetoes.   

“Nearly 200,000 students – the vast majority of children in New Hampshire – attend public schools. Ensuring that our public schools are the best in the nation must be our priority as a state,” continued Hassan. 

The legislature has cut millions to local public schools, which has resulted in teacher layoffs and increases in local property taxes. The legislature also cut funding for public higher education in half, which resulted in nearly 10 percent tuition increases at the University of New Hampshire. 

“Republican leaders made cuts raising local property taxes and tuition on middle-class families, saying we couldn’t afford to support our public schools. Now they are planning to divert millions of dollars in taxpayer money to private schools. That is the wrong choice for New Hampshire,” Hassan said.  “ This legislation is just another example of how the priorities of Ovide Lamontagne and this legislature are wrong for middle-class families and wrong for our economy.”

“Public schools should be the first priority for public money, not a handful of private schools, and that is the main fault in this legislation,” said Bill Duncan.  “Ovide Lamontagne and the Republican legislature would divert limited state resources from public schools – which have already sustained in cuts from this legislature – to private schools. That is wrong for our taxpayers, our students and our economic future.”

“SB 372 is devised as a “tax credit” in an effort to get around New Hampshire’s constitutional prohibition against sending taxpayer money to religious schools. But New Hampshire citizens are too smart to be fooled.  This is taxpayer money and instead of going to local public schools – or to help offset local property taxes – it will be send to private, religious schools,” Duncan said.  

“Ovide Lamontagne said he was “deeply disappointed” in the veto,” said Mary Heath.  “Where was Ovide Lamontagne’s disappointment when this legislature cut funding for public schools and dropout prevention programs?  Where was Ovide Lamontagne’s disappointment when funding for our public colleges and universities was cut in half?” 

“We didn’t hear it,” continued Heath. “Instead we heard Ovide Lamontagne praising the leadership and guts of Bill O’Brien and this legislature’s extreme agenda. We need a Governor who is going to stand up for our public schools and our taxpayers.  Maggie Hassan understands that ensuring New Hampshire has the best-educated workforce in the country is key to attracting innovative, growing companies to our state.”

Bill Duncan is a candidate for the Executive Council in District 3.  Duncan is an entrepreneur and a widely known education advocate and is the founder of Defending New Hampshire Public Education. 

Mary Heath is a former fourth grade teacher, the former Deputy Commissioner of Education and the former Southern New Hampshire University School of Education Dean.