12/03/2023
The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference.
-Elie Wiesel
Exeter SAU 16 has been indifferent to the needs of many children and has ignored parental rights. Real conversations, policy changes and apologies are necessary to move forward or we will continue to see charter schools expand in Exeter and more families, like mine, pull their children out. Vaccination did not stop transmission, mask-wearing harmed children’s social learning and interactions as well as their mental and emotional health and did not stop transmission, school closures and remote learning were a failure and learning loss and depression were real. I believe as voting day approaches some board members need to be held accountable for making prolonged harmful decisions that hurt so many children.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the Children’s Hospital Association declared that the pandemic-related decline in child and adolescent mental health has become a national emergency.
Our children should be taught that many of the most monstrous deeds in human history have been perpetuated in the name of doing good, in pursuit of some type of noble goal. It’s proven history. Extremism is an evil that threatens all of us and SAU16 has been extreme and political, both do not belong in a public school system.
Children at an outside Exeter Prom were told to show up with papers, numbered on their wrist and were made to raise their hand every third song if unvaccinated and underclassman went around and recorded who was standing next to the unvaccinated on the dance floor. Children were also forced to eat in silent lunch’s and eat with a mask on their face, while adults were living a different reality. CMS recently had a Holocaust survivor speak and she warned how quickly a division of people can happen and we witnessed this, in real time.
Mask-wearing harmed children’s social learning and interactions as well as their mental and emotional health. A Brown University Study found face masks DO harm children’s development and ‘significantly’ reduces development. Many parents already knew this to be true.
The research - carried out by the Cochrane Institute, internationally recognized as the highest standard in evidence-based health care published on January 30, 2023 a level 1, meta-analysis, ‘gold standard' of evidence-based reviews - looked at 78 global studies and over 1million people, finds face coverings made 'little to no difference' to Covid infection or death rates. Masks should’ve always been a personal choice, especially for children - full stop!
In 2020 SAU 16 pushed the narrative that we had to look at everything through a lens of racial equity, and inclusion. Then, for the next year and a half, closed schools even though it was the safest place and most equitable for children.
Evidence is piling up that school closures and the transition to remote learning during the pandemic disproportionately harmed the academic performance of minority and low-income students the most.
A study done by Harvard University found that the consequences of closures and remote learning will negatively impact an entire generation of low income and minority children. The ripple effect of remote learning will reduce, not only academic achievement, but graduation rates and college entrance for students in lower economic brackets and black and Hispanic students.
Our elementary schools have the highest percentage of children from low-income households in SAU 16, a good estimate is that at least 40% of our kids come from such circumstances. They often don’t eat enough healthy and nutritious food and commonly lack the family and social networks. When SAU 16 was given the choice to stand up and do the right thing they failed the real life test of equity and inclusion.
There was a laissez-faire attitude to re-open schools while schools down the street like Epping and Bedford were open for a year in person with masks optional, our children suffered. The communication from SAU16 to parents was abysmal. The bottom line is if you had money or lived in a conservative town your children received an in person education. Thank God the state stepped in to help SAU16 families.
Is it kind, is it true, is it necessary?These are the questions you tell our children to ask as they enter the elementary school yet the adults have to learn from these questions.
This board almost unanimously supported every one of superintendent David Ryan‘s decisions then suddenly every member has unanimously decided that his contract shouldn’t be renewed? The superintendent works for the school board, it’s not the other way around. I personally believe that some board members should lose the privilege of making decisions for children and for going against what the majority of parents wanted, forgetting who they were supposed to represent.
I was told that Andres Mejia our DIEJ director wrote a letter claiming that the SAU16 board was discriminating by not seeking a superintendent outside of this system. I completely agree! That was our opportunity for change for a school system that continues to go in the wrong direction.
I believe in public education, we moved to Exeter so our four children could attend these schools but I can no longer support a system where politics are pushed on children and where the system has become extreme. My young children only get one chance at childhood.
I reject the push for Social Emotional Learning. SEL ignores spiritual, physical, and societal well-being. I believe it doesn’t address young people's spiritual hunger to feel part of something greater than themselves. I don’t trust this way of thinking, school is NOT therapy.
Look what recently happened at Exeter High School. A young sexually confused girl was sexually groomed by her guidance counselor who pleaded guilty to r**e. Parents should always be involved in decisions regarding their children.
Using iREADY is also very harmful. At CMS my daughters have spent hours of time unattended in the auditorium on iREADY. There is so much anxiety and confusion that surrounds iREADY. Stop testing, it’s unnecessary.
A good start for change would be delaying school start times, its literally a matter of life and death. There is no other single policy change with such tremendous benefits to ALL students.
Children also need school dances brought back and to participate in community service and fun events. The benefits that my children are experiencing at Saint Thomas Aquinas and Sacred Heart are life-changing! Children need boundaries, competition, participation and fun to thrive! I see what children are lacking if they stayed in SAU16, so much has been taken away. Children’s needs have not changed, however, the adults agenda has and what is being pushed on children is destroying so much of childhood and harming their mental health.
I understand we all lived through scary times, COVID-19 has exposed many things and we need to learn from our shared experiences. Everyone wants to support public schools, however, many issues must be faced head-on and parents voices must be heard!
If your children are suffering academically, spiritually or emotionally, pull them out of SAU 16 until you start seeing dramatic changes! So let’s get to work and vote for change!
Best,
Peggy
