Dear Honorable Representative Casey,
The need for passage of HB 1580 with number 9 intact is not only an inalienable right but a civil right that must be upheld for homeschooling families. It is a right that must be guaranteed just as is the right to vote for women and the right to bear arms. Twenty-five states across the country do not interfere with parents' rights to educate their children as they see fit. New Hampshire already has some of the strictest laws in the nation.
Study after study shows that homeschoolers outperform their private and public schools peers. Some universities and colleges actively seek out homeschoolers because of their excellent base of knowledge and skills. But I am sure you are well aware of this because I am absolutely positive you have researched this area.
In 2008 Education Commissioner Lyonel Tracy stated: "We need to dig deep and find out what's happening here," when talking about the poor test scores of our 11th grade public school educated students. 45% of these students tested "substantially below proficient." This was on the math portion of the NECAP tests.
AYP reports from the NH Dept of ED in 2008 showed that 62% of public schools failed to make adequate yearly progress and 40% of schools are in need of improvement.
According to the 2009 NECAP test results, 31%, 20%, and 78% of 11th grade Newport students scored in the "proficient" level in writing, mathematics, and reading respectively. Do the math and you will see the numbers of those failing. My children deserve better than to be graded by our school system that is failing to educate its own students.
Yes Representative Casey tens of thousands students are falling through the cracks and this is why many of us homeschool. Do you want to help children falling through the cracks? Work on legislation to improve public schools. I pay for them I would like to use them but I do not want to send my children into a system where 62% of public schools fail to meet adequately yearly progress. As a parent, why would I send my child to a school when they have more of a chance at failure than they do success?
I see plenty of evidence of failures in public schools but I do not see any evidence of failure among homeschoolers in New Hampshire. Show me the evidence and the cases where homeschoolers are falling through the cracks. To remove section 9 of HB 1580 and deny homeschooling parents their rights to educate their children as the see fit is unconscionable. Why should my child be denied her right to the best education possible, education provided in my home?
Why enact laws to catch 5 or 10 homeschoolers falling through the cracks when you have thousands of students failing through the cracks in public schools? If you are concerned about child safety the police will catch those people. No one law will allow no one person to fall through the cracks.
Perhaps you think that falling through the cracks is the possible abuse in homes. Show me the research and the history of that because I can show you plenty of sexual misconduct occurring every day in public schools.
"One report mandated by Congress estimated that as many as 4.5 million students, out of roughly 50 million in American schools, are subject to sexual misconduct by an employee of a school sometime between kindergarten and 12th grade. That figure includes verbal harassment that’s sexual in nature."
"Survey finds 2,500 incidents over 5 years, across all types of districts"
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21392345/ns/us_news-education/
Let us talk about crime in general.
85% of public schools in 2007-08 that reported one or more incidents of crime at school.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2009"
Below my letter I have listed the teachers convicted of sex crimes in New Hampshire I have listed the teachers arrested in the past week for sexual misconduct or misconduct of one form or another.
I want a choice to educate my child in a system that is not failing, in a place where she is not exposed to possible sexual misconduct and a place where she does not encounter crime. How can you look at this and deny me my family our right to protect our children the best we can.
Please focus your energies on correcting the problems in our public schools, the continued attacks in light of these failures looks like some legislators have a vendetta against a minority group and that group is homeschoolers.
Please do not take away our inalienable rights, our civil rights and support HB 1580 as introduced.
Thank you for your full consideration,
Cathy Peschke
Croydon, NH 03773
JENNIFER SIMARD
09-27-08
Jennifer Simard, 24, an on-call substitute teacher’s aide in the Goffstown School District, in Goffstown, New Hampshire has been indicted by a Hillsborough County grand jury, arrested and jailed on two counts of prohibited use of computer services.
It is alleged that Simard had sexually explicit online conversations with a boy who is younger than 16-years-old during the months of August and September. The grand jury indictment also alleges that Simard discussed with the boy how he could keep his parents from finding out about them.
Reportedly Hillsborough County Attorney Marguerite Wageling yesterday dropped four similar counts filed against Simard after researching state law.
A school spokesperson said Simard had been told before the academic year started that her services were no longer needed and she was not allowed on school property.
Bail Set For Former Aide Accused Of Having Relationship With Boy (09/29/08)
Police: Ex-teacher’s aide, boy talked sex (09/27/08)
NH teacher’s aide accused of trying to seduce teen (09/27/08)
NH teacher’s aide accused of trying to seduce teen (09/27/08)
GREG INGALLS
03-08-08
A former Spaulding High School teacher accused of sexually assaulting a student more than 20 years pleaded guilty Friday to a sexual assault charge shortly before his trial was scheduled to begin. Greg Ingalls, 57, of 4 Park Lane, a former Spaulding math teacher and longtime Barrington School Board member, was charged in April 2007 on a Class B felony of sexually assaulting a teenager in property he owned in Raymond in the mid-1980s.
On Friday, Rockingham County Superior Court Judge John Lewis sentenced Ingalls to 12 months in the Rockingham County House of Corrections to begin immediately, according to a clerk court. Police have said the assault occurred between 1984 and 1985 when Ingalls drove a 14-year-old Rochester boy — a Spaulding High School student — to his Raymond apartment, located in a Main Street building. In May Ingalls resigned in from his post on the Barrington School Board and in late June the Rochester School Board accepted his retirement resignation.
Former Spaulding teacher pleads guilty to sex assault (3/08/08)
Former Spaulding High teacher, Barrington School Board member waives arraignment in sex case(8/02/07)
Former teacher indicted in high school student sex assault (7/21/07)
Former teacher indicted in high school student sex assault (7/21/07)
Rochester Teacher Charged With Decades-Old Student Sex Allegation (4/22/07)
Spaulding teacher identified after sex assault arrest (4/22/07)
KEVIN GODDU
07-13-07
A former high school teacher accused of raping a student in Hudson is claiming in court papers that he was involved in a “romantic” sexual relationship with the 16-year-old girl.
Kevin Goddu, 45, of Chelmsford, Mass., is facing 14 counts of felonious aggravated sexual assault for allegedly raping a former student at a home on Sullivan Road in Hudson earlier this year.
According to court records, Goddu, then a teacher at Timberlane Regional High School, allegedly pinned the 16-year-old Plaistow girl down on a bed and raped her the afternoon of Feb. 27.
But Goddu’s attorney, in court papers filed in Nashua Superior Court, claims the girl consented to sex with his client, and “several witnesses” are prepared to testify that their relationship was “romantic.”
NH teacher charged with raping student avoids jail (07/25/08)
Teacher who had sex with student avoids jail (07/25/08)
Ex-Timberlane teacher sentenced in teen sex case (07/25/08)
Teacher claiming romance with teen (7/13/07)
Teacher remains free on bail
Chelmsford man indicted; accused of raping teen
Former teacher indicted; accused of raping teen
Former teacher pleads not guilty to raping teen
SEVERINE WAMALA
11-20-07
A former Lowell (Mass.) High School math teacher and chess coach was sentenced Monday to 20-40 years in prison for repeatedly raping a young girl.
Speaking before he was sentenced, Severine Wamala, 46, formerly of 6 Danforth Road, Apt. 22, attacked the girl one last time, saying she had always been a difficult child and was prone to lying. He also said he loves and forgives her.
Judge Robert Lynn has prohibited Wamala from having any further contact with the girl as a condition of his sentence. Wamala had been jailed since his arrest last year and was convicted after a trial in September in Hillsborough County Superior Court. He plans to appeal his conviction on 11 counts of aggravated felonious sexual assault, his lawyer, public defender Anthony Sculimbrene said.
Prosecutors had charged Wamala with raping two other young women as well, but those charges were dismissed after both women recanted, and testified police had pressured them into making false allegations against him.
Wamala sentenced for repeated sexual assaults on girl (11/20/07)
Ex-teacher convicted in rape case (9/15/07)
Former Mass. high school teacher convicted of sexual assault charges (9/14/07)
Witness affirms rape testimony (9/13/07)
Math teacher’s rape trial opens (9/06/07)
Teacher Charged With Rape (9/13/06)
KENNETH LANG
10-30-07
A former Kingston elementary school music teacher was sent to prison yesterday after admitting to molesting a boy for three years during the 1980s.
Kenneth Lang, 60, of Amesbury, Mass., and Newton, N.H., will spend the next 7 1/2 to 15 years in state prison for abusing the boy, now 36, who reported the abuse to police just last year. Lang pleaded guilty to eight felonies yesterday as part of a plea deal.
He is scheduled for trial in Essex County (Mass.) Superior Court late next month for a similar pattern of assaults — with the same victim — that occurred in Haverhill, Mass. Lang's victim said yesterday he finally disclosed the years of abuse in 2006 because he learned that Lang was teaching music at D.J. Bakie Elementary School in Kingston, where he worked for 13 years.
Former music teacher pleads to sex assault (10/30/07)
Teacher indicted on 13 counts of sexual assault (8/03/07)
Former elementary school teacher faces sex charges (5/18/07)
Court papers say teacher raped boy, 7 (10/13/06)
Kingston teacher charged with child rape (9/15/06) (Via Google Archives)
Elementary School Music Teacher Arrested On Rape Charge (9/14/06)
KELLY JOHNSTON
10-04-07
A former teacher serving time in New Hampshire for molesting one of his students now faces similar charges in Vermont.
39-year-old Kelly Johnston of Colebrook pleaded guilty Monday to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in New Hampshire. He was sentenced to serve three years in jail.
Today Vermont State Police charged him with two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct on the same child. Police say Johnston molested the girl as he gave her rides home to Essex County from the Stratford Public School.
Teacher Faces More Child Sex Charges (10/04/07)
Teacher Accused Of Lewd And Lascivious Conduct With Student (10/04/07)
Court Hearing Waived In Teacher Sexual Assault Case (2/27/07)
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Cathy
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