I’m writing to address Jack Hurley’s Forum letter (“Time to Change N.H. Fish and Game,” Jan. 13).
Readers might find it interesting to know that Fish and Game is funded in three ways: Hunting and fishing license sales account for about a third of the budget. Federal funds account for about a third. The remainder is from ATV, snowmobile and boat registrations, un-refunded motorboat gas taxes, and fines. Almost no money comes from the General Fund.
The Fish and Game Department helps rescue hikers who get lost, injured or find that they are not equipped for the conditions. It rescues canoeists and kayakers who get in trouble. It deals with human-animal conflicts. Some hikers and others who are found to have acted recklessly can be held liable for the cost of their rescue, and sales of the Fish and Game Department’s voluntary hike safe card support search-and-rescue efforts. But in most of these cases, there’s no contribution to Fish and Game.
Hurley wrote that those who don’t hunt, fish or trap shouldn’t be expected to “willingly and happily” fund the department. The truth of the matter is that those who don’t purchase hunting, fishing or trapping licenses do not contribute to the funding of the department unless they register a boat or off-road vehicle or buy a hike safe card. I buy hunting and fishing licenses and register two boats every year. I also have two canoes. I would gladly pay to register those if it would help better fund the department.
I understand that more people would like to have a voice in how things in the Fish and Game Department are run. Consider purchasing a fishing or hunting license. Go through the Fish and Game hunter safety training. You might come to learn that very few of us who hunt and fish do it for the express purpose of killing wildlife. Most of us enjoy eating truly organic protein. We enjoy being on the water or in the woods, just like everyone else. Think about it.
Bill Finn
Lebanon
Every New Hampshire child has the right to equal access to an “adequate education.” Yet New Hampshire has on its books policies concerning student discipline that routinely remove kids from school, and that bar their rightful access to learning. These policies disproportionately affect children of color and children with disabilities, as demonstrated by the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
We write as parents in strong support of the legislation that will come before the New Hampshire House and Senate this session to amend RSA 193.13, which governs policies regarding the suspension and expulsion of children in New Hampshire’s public schools. The legislation will establish more reasonable and more equitable practices for behavioral intervention and student discipline. It will provide more practical support for the needs of all students, and particularly at-risk students and their families. And most important, it will reaffirm the right of every New Hampshire child to educational resources.
Amended legislation on school discipline will help children and families in at least four important ways:
■ It will provide transparent, consistent information about the procedural protections each district offers students and families.
■ It will reframe student discipline from punishment to remediation by requiring behavioral assessments and intervention plans for children facing suspension and expulsion.
■ It will consider a child’s age, ability, existing interventions, and the nature and seriousness of the behavioral concern during any consideration of a school expulsion.
■ It will ensure that children who are suspended from school still have access to educational assignments that allow them to keep learning.
Access to education is the right of every child in New Hampshire, regardless of race or ethnicity, citizenship, gender expression, socioeconomic status, ability or disability, or behavior. Lawmakers must amend the rules of school discipline to ensure that every child has every chance to succeed, and every chance to learn.
Carolyn Dever, Rob Shumsky, Stephanie White
Hanover
Julie E. Findley
Lebanon
Andrea Macdonald
West Lebanon
Jacqueline Wernimont
Etna
I read with interest the recent article on the Wilder School and the vote to fix the old facilities (“Voters Get Look at Wilder School Renovation Plans,” Jan. 9). I would hope that work would go into actually improving what my husband and I believe is a draconian, outdated program.
Our son was at Wilder School for three years. During that time he made no academic progress, and we have the testing to prove it. At one point, I witnessed him being dragged down the hall on his back by a teacher. My husband saw kids being shut into small rooms. The therapeutic approach seems to be punitive rather than positive and supportive. It looks to me like they’re simply training these kids for jail. And of note, during the three years our child was there, the school went through four therapeutic directors.
Fortunately, we were able to get our child out of the school last spring and, not surprisingly, he is thriving at his new school. His executive function abilities are developing and his behavior has improved 100 percent. His learning disabilities are actually being addressed and he is happier and more confident.
The entire program at the Wilder School needs an overhaul. The hours should be expanded. The educational services should be modified to help the students address their individual needs. They need tutoring and occupational therapy and perhaps other services. Having a new school facility will not help the kids unless positive changes to the actual programming content are addressed.
Nancy Katz
Norwich