Valley News – Valley News Forum for June 9, 2023: NH lawmaker’s letter on schools is out of touch

NH lawmaker’s letter on schools is out of touch

I don’t believe Rep. John Sellers has ever attended a Mascoma School Board meeting, deliberative session or even stepped foot in any Mascoma school, yet in his May 28 letter to the editor (“Pull your kids from public schools,” Page C1) he calls on parents to pull their kids out implying there is some vague boogeyman there. In his Jan. 4 letter to the editor (“State representative warns about ‘demonic’ books”) he claimed public schools were pushing pornographic and demonic books yet provided no evidence because of course there isn’t any.

Over 90% of children go to public schools and the Mascoma community has a great track record of supporting them. In March, both the school budget and teacher’s contract passed with significantly larger margins than the scant four-vote majority Sellers eked out in his November election.

He dismisses professional educators by saying how easy it is to teach and suggests it can be done in an exceedingly short time online or by an older sibling. While that is possible for some, the pandemic showed us that expecting the internet to be the main source of learning typically has a less-than-desirable outcome. Particularly if a student has even minor learning disabilities like ADHD. Sellers points out that the public schools provide electives for home-schooled students, but if his desired funding cuts occur, it’s those same electives that would get cut first.

From a taxpayer perspective, Sellers should be careful what he wishes for. Students enrolled in public schools get about $3,800 in state funds but school voucher students get $1000 more (with zero accountability). If families pull their kids out of schools to stick in front of home computers, (where they actually could access pornographic/demonic content) or send them to private schools, (which have nowhere near the capacity to take in the bulk of our children), it would actually cost the taxpayers more money because Mascoma schools are a good value.

Mr. “I won by four votes! I have a mandate!” Seems to be out of touch with the Mascoma district and I hope that is remembered during the next election cycle.

Dave Shinnlinger

Canaan

John Sellers’ extremism doesn’t fit Mascoma Valley

The extremism of John Sellers couldn’t be clearer than in his May 28 letter advising all parents to pull all of their children from public schools (“Pull your kids from public schools,” Page C1). America is a great nation in part because of our public schools, which provide an overwhelming majority of the workforce that makes us prosperous and the educated citizens to maintain our democracy.

But Mr. Sellers’ illogic is as much on display as his extremism. While most studies suggest students need to spend more time in school, Mr. Sellers suggests less than two hours per day will do. Based on what evidence, Mr. Sellers? While so many families depend on two regular incomes, making home schooling a difficult choice, Mr. Sellers says older children can help younger children. Mr. Sellers appears to have not joined the 21st century yet, since the average family size in New Hampshire these days is only 2.5 people per household, down a full person from the 1950s.

Mr. Sellers’ math is loose as well. Mr. Sellers’ call to remove all children from public schools is clearly tantamount to calling for the closure of all public schools, extreme enough in itself. But somehow, Mr. Sellers suggests those public schools he wants to close will somehow still be able to provide sports and other after school activities! But they can’t do that if they are closed, Mr. Sellers!

In the last election, Mr. Sellers won Grafton House District 18, representing 10 towns including all five in the Mascoma Valley Regional School District, by just four votes. Four votes! Hardly a mandate and certainly no clarion call for the extremist policies Mr. Sellers is trying to sell us. Come November 2024, I hope we all remember. Instead of sending Mr. Sellers back to Concord, let’s send him back to school!

Thomas Oppel

Canaan

Dawna Pidgeon

Enfield

Barb Jones

Enfield

Voters need to keep an eye on Rep. Sellers

I wish to add my concerns to those so very well expressed by others about Rep. John Sellers’ letter to the editor (“Pull your kids from public schools,” Page C1, May 28).

I have had several private email exchanges with Rep. Sellers and have come to the conclusion he will not alter his extreme views about what books should be in our libraries, public education, “parental rights” and sexual identification, to name a few. It is therefore up to the voters in his district to pay attention to his proposals, their underlying messages, and implications they pose to our democratic values of equal justice for all, inclusion, civil discourse, caring for the less fortunate, kindness, etc.

When I wrote to Mr. Sellers in opposition to SB 272, he called me “divisive.” I think it is up to voters to decide if they wish to be represented by someone who finds it necessary to deride opposing views by calling them “divisive” or by calling those opposed “these disgraceful and incompetent Democrats.” Unfortunately we have to wait until November 2024 to elect an open-minded person to represent a broader perspective in Grafton 18.

Karen Wolk

Canaan