Regan Lamphier | Oppose HB1221

This bill is a step in the wrong direction for New Hampshire. We closed our last institution several decades ago, something that was once a source of pride for our state. You may have heard of Laconia State School, where children and adults with disabilities were kept in wretched conditions, isolated for years, with no hope of being part of the larger world. Survivors of Laconia have spoken of rampant physical and sexual abuse. You may not know, however, that the Laconia State School was established with the best of intentions. The founders envisioned an idyllic small community where students could find purpose, where they might have a fulfilling life despite their disabilities. But separate is never equal, and these high hopes never became a reality. Over the years more and more people with disabilities were crowded into the facilities. There was never enough staff, and there was certainly no real attempt to educate anyone. Conditions grew worse over the decades, and those who entered rarely left. There was no area agency system, no IDEA, and no special education. Laconia State School was closed only after a prolonged legal battle. Legislators at that time became aware of the horrors inflicted on people at that institution, and they were unwilling to see it continue. They knew there was a better way. Now the NH legislature is considering a path that may lead us back down that terrible road. Those who support this bill sound disturbingly like the well intentioned activists who supported the founding of the Laconia State School, those who wanted a separate place for people with disabilities. But people with disabilities have a right to be a part of their community. Children educated in separate facilities will have very little interaction with children in their neighborhood schools. Creating a separate place for children with disabilities will isolate them, and abuse happens in isolation. We have already seen an increase in abuse and deaths among people with disabilities in New Hampshire in recent years, We need to decrease the chances of abuse, and this bill will do the exact opposite. The road back to institutions is a slippery slope, and one that will harm many people in our state. Please vote against this proposed legislation.