Amanda Bergeron

This bill is unconscionable to me. As a parent of a child with special needs I am appalled at the idea that I am left with few options to properly support my child's education as funds are potentially siphoned from the public school where he attends. I understand that my son has the right to an appropriate and adequate education, however, am I to believe this can happen when the funding of that education is directly attacked by such a bill as this. Additionally the state of New Hampshire has fallen short of funding public schools appropriately for years, and perhaps that should be looked at as a real way to solve the funding problems we face in this state. We are 50th out of 50 states when it comes to state funding for our students, and that is deplorable. Our state should be ashamed. By taking funds from already struggling districts and allocating them to more affluent/striving districts you are only causing further desperaties. Open enrollment is forcing individuals who have less resources to do more with even less. A parent who works full time, and can not transport their child, and pehaps can not afford to pay the tuition difference for their child to go to a better district is forced to keep their child in a district that is being raped of its financial resources, so these resources can be sent to better districts. Some would say districts that do not need the funding to begin with. This bill is little more than slapping lipstick on a pig. It is forcing individuals to fall in line to a class system that is disguised as open enrollment. It is disgusting! This bill fixes nothing.