Jennifer Belmont-Earl | Oppose HB1221

Jennifer Belmont -Earl Barrington, NH January 11, 2026 Testimony in Opposition of HB 1221 Dear Chairman Noble, Vice Chair Peternel and House Education Policy and Administration Committee, My name is Jennifer Belmont -Earl. I live in Barrington, NH with my husband and our two young Autistic sons. I am writing to oppose HB 1221 because it would establish segregated facilities for children who experience disability. This completely opposes the considerable work the Granite State has done to integrate people experiencing disability into our communities, work and school. Furthermore, it will deprive abled children of the chance to know amazing children like mine. As a parent in a fully integrated school district, I often meet parents of children who have been segregated within their schools and the quality of their education pales in comparison with my children. My kids both have friends and teachers who care about them - making sure they are integrated into their school environment. My youngest, Z, is a nonverbal Autistic child who requires considerable support to access his class. I know that he adds value to the education of other children because they get excited when they see him. He went from being a child who did not seem very interested in others, to one who gets excited to participate in morning circle. He grabs a token with a child's name on it and runs over to give it to them so they can greet the class. His teacher asks questions about Zeke so she can share things with the class about him: Does he have a Halloween costume? What is his favorite food? What cartoon characters does he like? Does he have any brothers or sisters? In fact, we went to go see his older brothers’ school dance recital, and Z was walking the hall with my husband when he saw his classmates who were also performing. Their chaperone was trying to usher them into a separate classroom, but a little girl piped up, saying: “NO! We can't go yet, we have to go say hi to Z!” And they all said hi to him, making Z feel included and happy. The children in Z’s class would not know how to make friends with someone different, or intrinsically understand the value of having a friend who can't talk, if they didn't go to school with him every day. Z wouldn't be making eye contact with the children and teachers he interacts with if he didn't go to school with abled children. If you vote for this bill you will be sending a message to children like mine that they are worth far less than their abled peers. That they do not deserve to be in the same classes, the same society as their peers. A vote for this bill will send a message to abled children that they do not need to interact with anyone different from them, that they cannot learn anything from their disabled peers, and they should only be friends with children who look and act like them. This bill is shameful. Please do not vote for segregation. Please honor the progress New Hampshire has made in integrating people experiencing disabilities into our schools and communities. We all benefit from integration. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Jennifer Belmont -Earl Barrington, NH jennifer.blmnt@gmail.com