Luther: Resignation to be acted on tonight
Doubling down on dumb. That’s about all that can be said about the actions of Pembroke school officials in light of the backlash they’ve encountered from their failure to disclose the arrest of thirty six year old Rekha Lutherwho remains on the books as Pembroke Academy’s Dean of Students, despite being arrested at school on February seventeenth for possession of heroin, a variety of illegal steroids and a bunch of syringes on school grounds. The Pembroke School Board is expected to accept her resignation from the seventy three thousand dollar a year position she started in September at its meeting tonight.
Sherman: Interested in “open conversations.” Really?
School Superintendent Patty Sherman emailed a letter to parents yesterday saying quote “There have been a whole host of emotions that we are all feeling as a result of Ms. Luther’s…arrest” (Ya think?) and went on to assure parents it wasn’t the their intention to hide or keep information from them, claiming that because it was a criminal investigation, and they weren’t involved in it, they had no information to give. She went on to say quote:
“We have not made any public announcements regarding this case because it is a personnel matter that under state and federal law the administration must keep confidential.”
Pembroke: Cover up exposed
She then went on to disclose Luther’s personnel information, confirming she’d submitted her resignation and that the school board would take action on that submission at tonight’s meeting.
After addressing that unpleasantness, Sherman announced the academy will host a community forum to discuss the results of the school’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey and will have specialists in the field of drug abuse present at that forum. Quote:
“We are interested in having open conversations regarding some of the risks facing our students and adults in our community.”
(Unless, of course, that involves telling parents about teachers who are arrested for having illegal drugs in school.)
Girard at Large has learned that the Pembroke School Board has scheduled a public meeting on Wednesday night to address the issue. Not terribly sure that’s going to dissuade parents intent on speaking their mind from showing up at tonight’s meeting, however.
Candia School Board: Trans-gender policy on agenda
Thursday’s meeting of the Candia School Board is shaping up to be something of a hum dinger. On the agenda is a policy that would allow members of one sex to use the other sexes bathrooms if that is the gender they more closely identify with. The definitions section of the policy is an interesting read.
The policy considers one’s trans-gender or gender nonconforming status a confidential matter, not to be disclosed to anyone, including their parents, unless legally required to do so or otherwise authorized by the student in question. To the extent possible, the policy requires schools to reduce or eliminate the practice of segregating students by gender and mandates that where students are segregated, such as for health education classes, students can associate with the gender they identify with, biology notwithstanding.
Hooksett: Us first!
When it comes to using bathrooms, well it’s okay to use the one for the sex the person most consistently identifies with, and if they require additional privacy, for whatever reason, the school is required to provide access to a single stall restroom. Locker rooms are even more fun. The policy says their use by trans-gendered students quote:
“Shall be assessed on a case by case basis with the goals of maximizing the student’s social integration and equal opportunity to participate in physical education classes and sports, ensuring the student’s safety and comfort and minimizing stigmatization of the student. “In most cases,” reads the policy, “transgender students should have access to the locker room that corresponds to their gender identity consistently asserted at school.”
Supt. Littlefield: Behind the Transgender policies?
Oh, and if they want more privacy in the locker rooms, they’re to somehow be provided with a private space or a separate changing schedule. They also get to play on sports teams not as the gender they are, but as the one they identify with.
Parents in Candia might want to consider chiming in on this one.
Note Well: We received a tip from a loyal listener during the broadcast that the Hooksett School Board will actually consider the same policy at its meeting tonight!
READ Ann Marie Banfield’s OpEd on this topic.
News from our own backyard continues after this.
Fire victims need help
Yesterday’s two alarm fire on Howe Street in Manchester wiped out a two family, prompting a loyal listener to ask us to help relay a request to help the families involved. The tenants in the front apartment lost everything, including their beloved dog, who was best of friends with their two year old girl. Any size twenty four month clothes for a girl, toys, crib mattress and gift cards so the parents can get some new duds, etc are appreciated. Donations for both families, the one in the back unit lost clothes and furniture, can be left at the neighbor’s house at 6 0 4 Howe Street. A YouCaring page has been set up by friends to help out as well. You can visit you caring dot com slash mark dash robarge dash Ashleigh dash bennett. If you didn’t get all that, don’t worry. We’ve got the link.
Election results
Last night’s planned presentation on social media hazards by the Bedford Police Department was postponed due to last night’s kinda sorta inclement weather. In announcing the cancelation, the department said the forum entitled “Social Media: A Predator’s Playground” has been rescheduled for this Thursday night, April seventh, at 6:30 in the Bedford High School Theater.
Hassan: Tainted by husband’s school sex scandal coverup?
Scandal surrounds Governor Margaret Wood Hassan as questions arose about her decision to appoint Richard Schubart to her 2012 campaign steering committee. Schubart is the former Phillips Exeter Academy faculty member who was forced to retire and move off campus after two former students came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct, which Schubart admitted. Hassan’s husband Tom was headmaster of the school at the time. The governor spoke with W M U R reporter Ray Brewer on Friday saying, quote:
“I have thousands of supporters and lots of lists of steering committees, and while I sensed something was wrong because of the teacher’s abrupt departure, from the school, and abrupt retirement, I didn’t know and I didn’t have information that I could pass on that would have allowed us to remove him.”
That’s news from our own backyard! Girard at Large hour ___ is next!
