School has started. We’re again enjoying energetic noises floating from Nashua South to our house just a few of blocks away. We haven’t enjoyed what District 12’s Senator has been doing to public schools, though.

The Liberty Alliance, which funds the Free State Project, puts Sen. Avard near the top of their “liberty ratings.” He votes with the radicalized GOP an average of 80% of the time. Now he’s trying to convince us he’s been reducing taxes and standing for our freedom. His record and our recent property assessment say otherwise. In fact, his support for “Education Freedom Accounts” has increased our tax burden and cost NH taxpayers millions of dollars by siphoning money meant for public education into unregulated private, religious, and home schools.

Taxpayers have oversight over public schools through our elected school boards and other representatives. But by law, we have no say in what private schools can teach. Are their students learning that non-believers are infidels, the universe is 6,000 years old, women must be subservient to men, some people are inherently inferior to others, or that families like mine are evil and should be eliminated? We have no way of knowing.

Furthermore, Sen. Avard supported the so-called Parental Bill of Rights. There is now a hot-line to the State Department of Education so parents can report schools that have the “wrong” books on their shelves or staff who say something that doesn’t align with right-wing dogma. It’s not “freedom” to force taxpayers to support policies designed to defund public education, harass public school teachers and districts, and sink millions of dollars into instruction that may or may not be led by unqualified personnel or indoctrinating children in dangerous ideology. It feels more like taxation without representation to me.

Fortunately, District 12 has a great alternative – a candidate who opposes political extremism and irresponsible expenditure of our tax dollars: Melanie Levesque. She has a long resume as Representative and Senator that tells the story of someone who has always supported public education. As a Senator, she voted against tax breaks for businesses that contribute to “Education Savings Plans,” another scheme to divert public funds into private pockets. She supports rigorous standards and local control of curriculum and programs. Sen. Cindy Rosenwald also has an excellent record of supporting education in District 13, and she and Sen. Levesque will make a powerful team, representing all the students of Greater Nashua.

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