Unmask NH Schools

08/06/2026

I decided to share my email exchange with the Joint School board directly after October 7th.
SAU16 District Recently claims “an alarming rise in antisemitism and racialized discrimination” among students in our schools, yet they refused to address the adult conflict of interest and what and how they are teaching before blaming children. The school repeatedly claims “Words matter.” What words matter? Leadership matters.
District DEI

one month after Oct.7th
Nov 4, 2023, at 10:05 AM

Good morning, (SAU16)

Seacoast Black Lives Matter chapter posted, “Join us at the State House, Let Gaza Live, No more aid to Israel!” Thursday night at the State House they were chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “There is only one solution, Intifada revolution!”

Our DEI director holds the position as the Vice Chair on the board of Seacoast BLM and works in our schools. For many Jewish students, “never again,” is now. Antisemitic incidents have gone up 400% since October 7th.

I understand that this is a difficult time, however, I can’t imagine having a teacher in our schools allowed to be part of any organization where members are actively using hate speech. Words matter. We must teach our children to pray for peace, pray for the hostages to be returned, pray for a cease-fire and pray for real solutions for Palestinians and Israeli’s.

I reject having DEI taught in our schools and the 6 billion dollar industry of Social Emotional Learning and its connection to failed Common Core. DEI urges students to embrace radical ideologies, including that people should be treated differently due to their race. We should prohibit school leaders from forcing teachers or students to accept the idea that they are guilty of prejudice just because of their skin color.

Sadly we are witnessing the repercussions take place on many college campuses. Please do the right thing and have Andres step down from his position at BLM if he continues to work in our district.

Thank you,
Peggy

Good Afternoon Peggy,
Thank you for your inquiry. I believe you may be referring to policy GBEA, staff ethics which applies to all of our employees in our districts. Upon review of GBEA I do not believe our DEI-J director is in violation of the policy by holding a position as Vice Chair of Seacoast BLM.

Please let me know if you would like to meet to discuss this further.
Esther

Good evening Esther,

Thank you for your response, although it’s shocking. Can you imagine substituting any other marginalized group, other than Jews, and this language being OK? It doesn’t work. The Seacoast Online article below was SAU 16’s reaction to racial slurs in the community, what about calls for genocide?

I started a petition, I can’t stay silent.

Thank you,
Peggy

From: Peggy
Date: April 18, 2024 at 11:46:36 AM EDT
To: Esther Asbell
Subject: Antisemitism- SAU16 Exeter

Good morning Esther,

Yesterday, U.S. Congress declared chanting, “From the River to the sea, Palestine will be free,” is antisemitic hate speech. The phrase, used by Palestinian activists, calls for incitement of violence and genocide against Jewish people.

The house passed H.R. 883, a Bipartisan Bill declaring the chant antisemitic. The resolution overwhelmingly passed the House by a vote of 377-44-1. All but one of the 44 that opposed the bill were Democrats.

Seacoast BLM has promoted MULTIPLE events where they are chanting, “From the River to the sea Palestine will be free,” and “There is only One Solution, Intifada Revolution.” This is hate speech and calls for violence.

Seacoast BLM recently posted a protest to be held in Exeter with, “From the River to the sea,” playing in the background.

Do you still think it’s appropriate for Andres to hold the position as the Vice Chair Board Member of Seacoast BLM and continue be the DEI director in our schools?

SAU 16 stated, the reason we needed DEI was because, “as a community we don’t tolerate hate speech.” I’m genuinely concerned that everyone is turning a blind eye? I feel there is a huge conflict of interest, especially for Jewish students.

DEI's “us versus them” approach is limiting and in its effort to unite, it divides people.

“No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior.All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.”-Elie Wiesel.

Thank you,
Peggy

Good Morning Peggy,

Thank you for your inquiry. I believe you may be referring to policy GBEA, staff ethics which applies to all of our employees in our districts. Upon review of GBEA I do not believe our DEI-J director is in violation of the policy by holding a position as Vice Chair of Seacoast BLM.

Esther

Hi Esther,

Thank you for responding, however, it doesn’t address my question.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed the resolution condemning the motto, “From the river to the sea. Palestine will be free,” as anti-Semitic hate speech.

Our GBEA policy states that, “District employees are responsible for providing leadership in the school and community. This responsibility requires the employee to maintain standards of exemplary conduct.”

Seacoast BLM has promoted multiple protests where they are chanting hate speech, even chanting, “there is only One Solution, Intifada revolution.”

We need to teach our children that “words matter, ” and that hate speech against ANY group of people is NEVER acceptable. We need calls for PEACE for both Palestinians and Israelis, not violence.

Your own “letter of affirmation“ states that “hate and disrespect have no place and we are community of acceptance.”

A new survey shows that 73% of US students have experienced antisemitism since October 7th.

Do you not view these chants from BLM as anti-Semitic?

-Peggy

*Dr. Asbell did not respond

https://www.change.org/p/remove-dei-from-public-schools

* 1,500 signatures in a few days

Thank you,
Peggy

07/07/2026

NH just signed SB 430, teachers must now respond honestly to parents’ written questions about their own children within 10 days.

Finally! 🙏 In SAU16 District Exeter NH, even after former Exeter High School guidance counselor Kristie Torbick pleaded guilty to felonious sexual assault of a 14-year-old student she was counseling, the district still thought it was fine to keep secrets from parents.

Transparency isn’t optional, it’s parental rights. Glad Governor Kelly Ayotte and lawmakers finally acted.

https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2026/07/07/ayotte-signs-law-requiring-teacher-disclosures-to-parents-on-gender-identity-overriding-court/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAS6a-NwZG9mA2ZkaWQWUKEviYEtnmiK_e_qd2eeNNGWi8WZBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5pLMNuJ62xWy64xC4dxlocQ67udFLSwpqEGK88O1ScB4ahNLNmMb0TOoPMPA_aem_WFDfhFpplMIvF5207sjC9w

Senate Bill 430 requires teachers to disclose any information requested by parents about their child, with some exceptions.

06/05/2026

Summary of SAU 16’s Amicus Brief;

This document was NOT shared with parents, the public or the school boards before they voted to approve it on May 21, 2026.

The district joined a legal document arguing that New Hampshire’s law limiting “divisive concepts” and certain DEI practices in schools is unconstitutional.
Key points from the brief:
• Schools should be allowed to continue DEI programs, equity initiatives, and identity-based practices.
• They argue these programs are necessary to address “bias and discrimination” and achieve “demographic outcomes.”
• They defend having a Chief Equity Officer and affinity/equity work as essential parts of education.
• They claim restricting DEI violates free speech, federal laws, and the district’s mission.

In short: SAU 16 used taxpayer money to tell the federal court: “We need to keep doing DEI and identity-focused programs … don’t let the state limit them.”

SAU 16 has been actively implementing formal DEI programs for approximately five years. Chief Equity Officer Arlynn Polletta recently admitted a significant rise in antisemitic discrimination incidents at the SAU16 middle and high school levels “along with racialized discrimination,” plus “a lot of incidents” occurring at the elementary school level that she responds to “many many all the time.”

*The brief is 22 pages long, if anyone is interested, message me and I can email it.

06/04/2026

06/03/2026

🚨 Alarming rise in discrimination incidents at SAU 16 elementary schools (5-11 year old children) reported directly in the May 18, 2026 Joint Board Meeting.
Chief Equity Officer Arlynn Polletta

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of incidents that happen at our elementary schools. I respond to many many all the time…”

This comes alongside a broader “significant rise in anti-semitic discrimination incidents at the middle school and high school along with racialized discrimination.” Polletta stated.

Instead of stepping back, the district’s solution is to push identity and belonging units, bias education, and “Words Matter” programming even earlier in elementary schools.
They encourage self reporting and students reporting on peers .

SAU16 is using taxpayer dollars to join an ACLU amicus brief supporting DEI.

Young children (K-5) should primarily be taught that they are far more alike than different focusing on shared humanity, kindness, and individual character rather than group identities, power dynamics, or who is “winning” or “losing” based on race, ethnicity, or other categories. They are babies.

06/03/2026

SAU16 District 🛑 SAU 16 Schools Report a Significant Rise in Antisemitic and and Racialized Discrimination as school board votes to uses tax dollars to continue to Defend Teaching DEI in Federal Court.

In the SAU 16 (Exeter area, NH) Joint Board Meeting on May 18, 2026, Chief Equity Officer Arlynn Polletta reported;

“We had um a significant rise in anti-semitic discrimination incidents at the middle school and high school along with racialized discrimination.”

She noted that she personally intervenes in and responds to a high volume of incidents at the elementary level:

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of incidents that happen at our elementary schools. I respond to many many all the time…”

The district’s response? Double down on identity-focused programming starting even earlier. They’re using “identity and belonging units,” bias and discrimination education, “Words Matter” assemblies, and restorative practices and “affinity spaces” (separating children by race and/or gender (or other identities like sexual orientation). The district actively encourages students (including elementary-age children) to report perceived bias, discrimination, or harassment, both things they experience themselves self-reporting and things they see other students doing reporting on peers.

SAU16 is using taxpayer dollars to join an ACLU amicus brief supporting DEI. This document was NOT shared with parents, the public or the school boards before they voted to approve it on May 21, 2026. They also highlighted keeping their Chief Equity Officer position. The Chief Equity Officer at SAU 16 (Exeter, NH) earns a base salary exceeding $100,000. In August 2021 SAU 16 hired its first full-time Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ). SAU 16 was the first public school district in New Hampshire to create this position.

The board celebrated this approach as “walking the walk.” Parents and residents deserve to see the full recording and question whether more of the same is the solution or part of the problem.

Children naturally seek connection, and shared human experiences rather than fixating on differences.

*Ms. Polletta’s equity report begins approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes into the May 18th Joint Board meeting, available on YouTube in Blue Hawk Media.

06/02/2026

Sau 16 School Administrative EXETER NH PLEASE WATCH!

Lily Tang Williams strongly opposes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, viewing them as divisive identity politics. Having survived Mao Zedong's Communist regime in China, she frequently compares DEI and Critical Race Theory training to the psychological "struggle sessions" she witnessed during the Cultural Revolution.Her key arguments against DEI include:Discrimination: She argues that DEI and affirmative action policies discriminate against Asian Americans, who she believes excel through a strong emphasis on education and individual hard work.Focus on Meritocracy: Williams advocates for meritocracy, arguing that hiring and promotions should be based solely on individual qualifications rather than demographic quotas.Divisiveness: She rejects identity politics entirely, claiming that DEI divides Americans rather than unifying them, and has publicly questioned the use of quotas in safety-critical sectors like the airline industry.

🔴PREMIERE 9.18 @ 7:30pm ET: https://www.theepochtimes.com/c-america...

05/27/2026

SIGNIFICANT RISE IN ANTISEMITISM AND RACIALIZED INCIDENTS AT SAU 16 (EXETER) SCHOOLS PUSHING DEI ON CHILDREN

At the May 18th SAU 16 Joint Board meeting, Chief Equity Officer (Previously DEI Officer) Arlynn Polletta stated:

“We had a significant rise in antisemitic discrimination incidents at the middle school and high school along with racialized discrimination.”

She specifically addressed incidents at the elementary schools:

“Unfortunately, we have a lot of incidents that happen at our elementary schools. I respond to many many all the time…”

Instead of rethinking the identity based approaches that are clearly contributing to division, they double down, pushing an agenda in our public schools on children, then essentially blame children.

When discussing the increase in incidents, Polletta attributed it largely to increased reporting. She described the district’s response as including restorative practices, restorative circles, “Words Matter” assemblies, an anti-discrimination task force, and other identity-focused initiatives, including affinity groups organized around race and gender, while stressing that MORE work is needed especially at the elementary school level.

This should concern EVERY taxpayer and parent in SAU 16.

SAU16 is using taxpayer dollars to join an ACLU amicus brief supporting DEI, a document that was not made available to parents or the public despite multiple requests, and which the Cooperative Board voted to approve without publicly reviewing in full.

A November 2024 report titled “Instructing Animosity: How DEI Pedagogy Produces the Hostile Attribution Bias” by the Network Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University argues that DEI practices increase hostile attribution bias and polarization. A 2025 Audit also noted  significant declines in antisemitic incidents at universities that scaled back expansive DEI programs.

In the core DEI framework, society is divided into “oppressors” and “oppressed” based on identity groups.

Children deserve better.

They should be taught that every person has God given worth and dignity and that spiritually and fundamentally, we are far MORE alike than we are different and that our differences should be celebrated and unite us rather than divide us.

The district speaks of “equity,” yet families dealing with bullying, extremism are effectively denied meaningful school choice with a zero in zero out policy. That is not equity.

If you feel passionate about this, please contact Superintendent Chris Andriski.

*Ms. Polletta’s equity report begins approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes into the meeting. Approved minutes should soon appear on the SAU 16 website.

SAU16 Joint School Board Meeting 05/18/26

12/20/2023

DEI is not inclusive. Please read!👇🏻
On Thu, Dec 7, 2023 at 10:08 AM
Good Morning Esther, (Exeter, NH Superintendent)

Does having a DEI Director at SAU 16, who holds the position as Vice Chair of Seacoast BLM, who’s chapter has promoted multiple protests calling for Intifada and the genocide of Jews, violate SAU 16‘s code of conduct?

“No human race is superior; no religious faith is inferior. All collective judgments are wrong. Only racists make them.” Eli Wiesel

Thank you,
Peggy

On Dec 14, 2023, at 2:40 PM, Esther Asbell wrote:

Good Afternoon Peggy,

Thank you for your inquiry. I believe you may be referring to policy GBEA, staff ethics which applies to all of our employees in our districts. Upon review of GBEA I do not believe our DEI-J director is in violation of the policy by holding a position as Vice Chair of Seacoast BLM.

Please let me know if you would like to meet to discuss this further.

Esther

Good evening Esther,

Thank you for your response, although it’s shocking. Can you imagine substituting any other marginalized group, other than Jews, and this language being OK? It doesn’t work. The Seacoast Online article below was SAU 16’s reaction to a students racial slur in the community, what about calls for genocide?

(https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/education/2022/01/28/video-exeter-nh-white-students-n-word/9250284002/)

I started a petition, I can’t stay silent.

(https://www.change.org/p/remove-dei-from-public-schools)

Thank you,
Peggy

Remove DEI from Public Schools

12/17/2023

One of the primary sources of antisemitism in America is coming from University’s teaching Diversity Equity and Inclusion or DEI. At the heart of DEI is a simple binary: the world is divided between “oppressors” and the “oppressed.” DEI is stoking hatred with a “us” vs. “them” worldview focusing on group identities. This way of teaching has proven to be dangerous and should immediately be removed from public schools. DEI’s concepts are not inclusive and instead force exclusion and division within education and should not receive funding from hardworking tax-payers.

SAU 16’s DEI director holds the position of Vice Chair of Seacoast BLM, a chapter that has promoted many recent events where protesters are on video chanting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” and “there is only one solution Intifada revolution!” The Anti-Defamation League defines these chants as antisemitic, they are calling for the extermination of Jewish people, the terminology is laced with genocidal intent. The Anti Defamation League and other national Jewish organizations are clear-eyed and outspoken about the antisemitism emanating from BLM chapters.

Under DEI many Jews who stood side by side with groups like BLM have been abandoned and now under DEI are considered “oppressors” after the barbaric October 7th Hamas attack. Antisemitism is on the rise 500% globally. Jews make up 2.4% of the population of the United States, but are the victims of more than 60% of all religious hate crime. The Holocaust that took place between 1941 and 1945 was the genocide of over 6 million Jews because of identity politics.

We believe in teaching our children to value all lives equally and understand that every life matters, regardless of their ethnicity or religion. We insist on having teachers who uphold these values genuinely without promoting harmful ideologies against any specific ethnic group.

SAU 16’s Administration responded swiftly in 2022 to two incidents of racial slurs from student that happened off campus and sent a video to the community. What about antisemitism happening within our school community? The “Letter of Affirmation,” from SAU16’s administration states, “the color of your skin matters to us.” Words and actions matter. Children should be taught what Martin Luther King Jr. preached, “It’s not about the color of your skin, it’s about the content of your character.”

Please sign this petition to remove DEI from public schools to truly foster an environment where ALL students feel safe and valued irrespective of their race or religion.

Remove DEI from Public Schools