“Deep concerns” over proposed private meetings

We publish this email sent by former Hooksett School Board Member David Pearl to NH Commissioner of Education Virginia Barry following her announcing she would only meet privately with individual school board members or in small groups in non-public sessions. ~Publis

Commissioner Barry,

As a former School Board member, parent of school age children and citizen of NH, I am disappointed that you will not meet with the Manchester Board of School Committee. You are a public official tasked with the implementation of the Smarter Balance test and Common Core, yet you are unwilling to meet in public with the Board of School Committee of the largest school district in the state. Your statement that you are willing to meet with small groups concerns me deeply. These “small” groups would not be open and would not be on the record. You are a “public” official and should speak in public regarding all of our NH students. Is this the example you want to set for our NH students? Should we teach our students to not speak in public to defend their positions?

I ask and encourage you to meet with public boards in public and answer questions and concerns of the citizens of NH.