Statement by Sen. Reagan Regarding Charter School Element of HB2


Statement by Sen. Reagan Regarding Charter School Element of HB2
as Passed by the House
Says HB2 not a proper vehicle for public policy, will harm charter schools as written
 
CONCORD – Sen. John Reagan, R-Deerfield, issued the following statement today taking the House to task for including charter school changes in House Bill 2:  
 
     “Upon examining the charter school changes present in HB2, I can come to no other conclusion than they were designed to harm public charter schools now and in the future. What I find even more troubling is the use of HB2 as a vehicle for public policy. HB2 is a budget bill plain and simple. The provisions included in HB2 represent substantial policy changes to the charter school law. Changes of this nature should have been thoroughly vetted during public hearings in the education committee and not hidden inside a budget bill. This is not the way that democracy is supposed to work.
 
     “Some of the most egregious provisions I found in HB2 include:
 

    It would put a two year moratorium on new charter schools
    It would cut charter school funding by $2.5 million
    It would discriminate against charter schools by releasing the Department of Education from its responsibility to apply for all federal charter school funding
    It would discriminate against charter schools by granting protections to one group of public school students but not another. RSA 198:42 II
    It would make charters schools perform unnecessary program audits every three years instead of every five years.
    It would give the state Board of Education much too much latitude over who they would authorize and why.

 
     “My final point concerns the decision by the state Board of Education to deny all pending charter school applications. In 2011, the state legislature removed the cap of 20 schools and made the Board of Education a permanent charter school authorizer. The legislative intent is clear; we are going to have public charter schools in this state. The federal startup grant will allow the state to open eight more schools over the next 2+ years. As soon as the budget is passed, the Board of Education needs to get back to work and make this right for all of the groups that it denied last year.”
 
    
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Teens Robbed of I-pod/Cell Phone

 

MANCHESTER, NH- On Monday, February 11, 2013, at about 6:30 PM, Manchester Police responded to a Clay Street address for a report of a robbery.  On arrival, they met with two 16 year old Manchester teens who reported they had been the victims of a robbery a short time earlier on Somerville Street, near Belmont Street.

 

According to the boys, they were walking in the area when they were approached by two men, one of whom demanded their belongings, indicating his companion had a gun, although no gun was observed.

 

One of the boys surrendered his I-pod Nano and Galaxy S3 cell phone and the men left.  They were last seen leaving the area as passengers in an older, dark colored 4-door sedan operated by a third individual who was possibly wearing a red sweatshirt.

 

The first suspect was described as a white male in his forties, about 6’3” tall with a slender build and dark “stubble” on his face.  He was last seen wearing a dark colored vest and a green “beanie” style hat.  The second man, alleged to have possessed a gun, was described as a clean-shaven white male in his forties with an average height and build.  He was last seen wearing a camouflage shirt and khaki pants.

 

Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the Manchester Police Department at 668-8711.  Anonymous tips for cash rewards can be made through Manchester Crimeline at 624-4040 or online at manchestercrimeline.org.