Advocates for public education in New Hampshire are asking state lawmakers to repeal what's known as the "divisive concepts" law, which educators say undermines their training and ability to teach about race or gender.

The law restricts educators from teaching that one class of people is inherently racist or oppressive, and it is enforced by citizens who can report teachers for potential violations, possibly costing them their jobs.

Sarah Robinson, education justice campaign director for the group Granite State Progress, said the law has had a chilling effect in classrooms across the state.

"It's just, because there's no way of knowing if what you're talking about applies to the law or not," said Robinson, "folks will just not talk about it."

Supporters of the law say it stops teachers from creating lessons that pit one race or gender against another, but educators say the law is so vague that it prevents rational classroom discussions about American history and the challenges the country faces today.

Despite overwhelming public opposition to the "divisive concepts" law in 2021, including from some of New Hampshire's largest employers, the measure was inserted into a budget trailer bill and signed by Gov. Chris Sununu.

A recent public hearing on efforts to repeal it drew big crowds, including those opposed to restricting public employees' ability to promote diversity or unconscious bias training.

Michelle Veasey, executive director of New Hampshire Businesses for Social Responsibility, said companies find great value in having inclusive workplaces.

"We feel like it's important to develop a culture in which everyone can share ideas, because then we come up with the most innovative solutions," said Veasey. "And so, that's something that obviously translates into a strong bottom line."

Veasey said it's important that the state's future workforce be exposed to open-minded conversations about topics like racism and sexism.

She said she feels the divisive concepts law can also hurt employee retention efforts in a state already struggling with a worker shortage.

The shortage of school teachers and staffers has reached a crisis level in some public schools. An education advocacy group is making recommendations to fix that. Pennsylvania serves more than 1.7-million students in grades K through 12.

Rich Askey, Pennsylvania State Education Association president, said they plan to unveil a state legislative package that focuses on several key priorities to solve the school staffing crisis, including a boost in teacher salaries. Right now, some teachers average about $27,000 a year to start, and the plan calls for money to attract more candidates.

"First to set the annual minimum salaries for educators, school counselors, nurses, and other educational professionals at $60,000," Askey said. "And also, we want to look at a minimum wage for custodians, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals, and other support staff at $20 per hour. "

Askey added there has been a dramatic decline in the number of college graduates entering the teaching profession. Pennsylvania issued more than 12,000 fewer first-year teaching certificates in the 2020-21 school year than it did in 2012-13, a drop of 66%.

Askey said in addition to affecting teachers and staff, the shortage has created challenges in the classroom, resulting in some kids having learning problems.

"I know of educators that are teaching two classes at the same time and on one side of the room, they might be teaching life science on the other side of the room, they might be teaching earth science, and that doesn't let our kids have the individual attention that is so needed, " Askey said.

Askey added the legislative plan would be taking a sustained multi-year commitment to be phased in over five years. It also includes paying college students in teacher preparation programs while they are student teaching, creating a scholarship program, and investing in the "Grow Your Own" program to help paraprofessionals and school support staff go back to college and earn their teaching degrees.

As educators across Massachusetts prepare to administer high-stakes tests for students this spring, new polling shows the public supports changes to the often stressful graduation requirement.

Seventy-four percent of poll respondents support a policy in which students would still take the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System tests, but wouldn't need a passing grade to graduate.

Massachusetts Teachers Association vice president Deb McCarthy said the tests fail to reflect the depth and diversity of students' intelligence and learning styles.

"The score," said McCarthy, "is simply a measure of who is a good test taker."

McCarthy said recently introduced legislation - entitled the Thrive Act - would allow school districts to use coursework to determine a student's mastery of English, math, and science as required by state standards - rather than a one-time standardized test.

Massachusetts is one of only eight states requiring high school students to pass a test to receive their diploma.

Educators say standardized tests are especially difficult for students with Individualized Education Plans, English language learners, and students from low-income communities.

McCarthy said removing the pressure of high-stakes testing would improve outcomes for historically disenfranchised students.

"The research shows us that there's a direct correlation between the test scores and the ZIP codes," said McCarthy, "and it really is an opportunity gap, not an achievement gap."

The Thrive Act would also eliminate the state's power to take over underperforming schools, which tend to be located in some of the poorest communities with lower MCAS scores.

Backers of the legislation say it would give students, parents, and educators a greater say in how their schools are run.

A grant is helping student parents at a college in northwestern Montana.

The Aspen Institute has announced Blackfeet Community College and seven other institutes around the country have joined the Black and Native Family Futures Fund.

Linda Sue Racine is a counselor and the coordinator of the $75,000 grant at the school. She said COVID-19 hit the Blackfeet Reservation hard and many students are grieving.

"To be able to get good grades and all that you need to have some peace in your life," said Racine. "And I always feel that if we're not well mentally and emotionally and physically, then we're not going to be able to succeed."

The grant comes with technical assistance to implement programs as well. Blackfeet Community College is setting up the Native Student Parent Program, which will help young mothers with child care, food and transportation.

Racine said elders also are helping with the program. She said workshops for the young mothers include making traditional outfits for their kids.

"We just don't want our people to lose their cultural and their traditional way of life," said Racine. "So it's very important that we integrate it in everything we do."

The eight institutions that received funding are Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Tribal Colleges and Universities.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.




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