Subjugating Students to the State

In his latest article, Mr. Bill Duncan of the state Board of Education, argues that the opt-out movement is selfish and interferes with the state’s ability to improve public education. Essentially, he states that parents must subjugate their children’s welfare for the state’s interests. This is very revealing about Duncan’s views about parents and the role of the state in public education.

This position turns accountability on its head. While public schools should be accountable to taxpayers and parents, the statewide assessments use children as the tool for accountability to the state and tramples parents’ rights in the process.

The opt-out movement is growing across the country and New Hampshire.

Children have one shot at their K-12 education and it is a parent’s right to direct their child’s education. That includes the right to refuse their child’s participation in statewide assessments. The state’s interests do not supersede the individual’s. Parents may have any number of reasons for refusing their child’s participation, but ultimately it is a parent’s right.

Read the following articles for additional information.
Writing Parents’ Rights into Statute
Mixed Messages about Refusing Assessments
Parents Can Refuse
A Parent’s Right to Opt Out

About

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Michelle Levell, director of GSHE