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New Hampshire

N.H.’s Top Education Official Accuses Teachers of ‘Knowingly Dismantling’ Family Values

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N.H.’s Top Education Official Accuses Teachers of ‘Knowingly Dismantling’ Family Values


New Hampshire’s lately adopted legislation proscribing sure sorts of instructing about racism has but to yield any fees towards academics. However the state’s prime schooling official says he’s nonetheless involved that academics are “knowingly dismantling the foundations” of households’ values.

Schooling Commissioner Frank Edelblut, who has aligned himself with conservative dad and mom and activists over his greater than 5 years in workplace, warned in an op-ed final week that New Hampshire was “not immune” to efforts by academics to insert their biases into the classroom and reshape households’ values on gender, race, sexuality, and capitalism.

The op-ed is accompanied by a 74-page doc compiled from miscellaneous objects: textual content exchanges with the sender’s and recipient’s names blacked out; grainy pictures of post-it notes; and pictures of classroom supplies and a instructor’s desk. Edelblut mentioned among the supplies, which he offered with no figuring out info or context, had been despatched by dad and mom to the Division of Schooling.

“When educators overstep, it weakens the power for folks to realize the values they consider to be finest for his or her kids, and it squanders the credibility of the career as an entire,” Edelblut wrote in his op-ed.

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Academics, college directors, and academics’ unions slammed the op-ed as a part of what they are saying is an effort by Edelblut to sow mistrust in public schooling and embolden dad and mom who oppose faculties’ efforts to assist marginalized college students.

“He’s fairly determined to painting public schooling in probably the most adverse gentle potential,” mentioned Carl Ladd, director of the New Hampshire College Directors Affiliation. “I feel it’s very harmful for the person who’s main the general public schooling system in our state to have such a adverse view of the work being accomplished by faculties and communities to welcome college students and be a secure haven no matter college students’ backgrounds.”

In his op-ed, Edelblut writes that college students ought to study capitalism and socialism, however that “when partitions of 1 New Hampshire classroom are adorned with posters extolling the virtues of socialism, the educators undermine the values of households.”

Within the accompanying doc, one photograph exhibits a poster about socialism studying: “All for One and One for All.” It defines socialism as an financial ideology “the place the essential technique of manufacturing is primarily owned and controlled by the federal government” and says that almost all European nations have a socialist economies.

In an interview with NHPR, Edelblut mentioned he had not visited the classroom the place the poster was photographed and didn’t know what different posters had been there nor how the instructor had offered the subject.

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“I am simply being clear with precise artifacts from New Hampshire faculties,” Edelblut mentioned. “And I feel that a few of these artifacts run the chance of undermining the effectiveness of all of our educators.”

A number of the complaints described by Edelblut relate to questionnaires about college students’ most popular names and pronouns, in addition to elementary and center college curriculum associated to intercourse and sexual orientation.

One screenshot contains an introductory slide present from an artwork instructor who makes use of they/them pronouns and says they consider Black Lives Matter and assist LGBT college students.

When requested how faculties ought to steadiness respect for familys’ values with anti-discrimination insurance policies that defend college students and employees, the Commissioner mentioned these questions can be handled on a case by case foundation and ought to be directed to the New Hampshire Human Rights Fee.

Issues about curriculum, however no violations discovered of latest anti-CRT invoice

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Gov. Chris Sununu mentioned he shared among the considerations raised by Edelblut however distanced himself from the commissioner’s ways.

“His methodology of bringing these things to gentle is likely to be a bit completely different than my method,” Sununu informed NHPR. “A very powerful factor is: how can we be constructive with native districts and native management to ensure dad and mom are being heard and not less than they know if they’ve a criticism, it’s not going right into a vacuum.”

Most faculties have a system for addressing complaints about curriculum, beginning first with the instructor and shifting to extra senior administration.

The state additionally has established a separate course of on the Human Rights Fee to cope with complaints concerning a controversial new legislation that bans sure teachings on racism and different types of oppression.

That legislation was handed final yr amidst allegations by Republican lawmakers and Edelblut that Crucial Race Concept was being taught in faculties. It got here regardless of testimony from many in New Hampshire’s schooling system that Crucial Race Concept was not part of the curriculum in public faculties.

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Up to now, the Human Rights Fee says no fees have been filed towards academics beneath the brand new legislation.

However the Division of Schooling continues to research when dad and mom e-mail or name with complaints about classroom curriculum and instructor bias. In some instances, dad and mom report considerations on to the Division of Schooling after having tried to contact academics and directors. Different instances, they go straight to Edelblut, who has made a behavior of sharing his cellphone quantity with dad and mom.

Based on paperwork connected to Edelblut’s op-ed and others obtained by NHPR by way of right-to-know requests, a division worker tasked with investigating instructor misconduct, together with abuse, is a part of a staff that follows up with dad and mom and faculties on complaints about curriculum lodged by members of the general public.

“Edelblut is utilizing the division as an investigative device, not into fees of misconduct – simply complaints,” mentioned Ladd, with the New Hampshire College Directors Affiliation. “I’m not going to name it a witch hunt, but it surely’s fairly shut.”

Advocate for some dad and mom, even when combating their college system

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The 74-page doc, which Edeblut offered at a latest State Board of Schooling assembly, displays a stage of alarm about liberal bias in faculties that animates conservative media shops, many Republican policymakers, and people aligned with the rising conservative “dad and mom’ rights” motion.

Many of those fights revolve round whether or not and the way faculties ought to train college students about racial identification, racism, and points associated to gender, sexuality, and sexual orientation.

In some states, this has taken the type of payments banning gender-affirming medical care and protections for transgender youth and prohibiting discussions about sexual identification or orientation.

In New Hampshire, dad and mom have introduced lawsuits towards not less than three college districts over their inclusion insurance policies for transgender college students, alleging that these violate different college students’ spiritual rights and proper to free speech and, in some instances, deny dad and mom’ details about their kids’s gender and sexuality.

Edelblut, a former Republican lawmaker who homeschooled all seven of his kids, has lengthy positioned himself as a champion of ‘household values’ and parental rights, even when these dad and mom are at odds with their public college over curriculum, inclusion insurance policies or COVID mitigation measures like masks.

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When requested whether or not utilizing they/them pronouns subverted household values, Edelblut mentioned his private values system “was not the purpose” of the op-ed.

“Worth techniques are as completely different as the youngsters themselves,” he mentioned. “One household might worth one factor, and one other household values one other. All that we have now accomplished right here by way of that is attempt to defend schooling’s sacred belief, by permitting transparency by way of among the content material that has confirmed to be of concern to some households.”

Jennifer Given, a social research instructor at Hollis-Brookline Excessive College, mentioned Edelblut’s method displays a basic misunderstanding of the connection between public faculties and households.

“Nobody’s making an attempt to forestall them from instructing their youngsters their values,” she mentioned. “What we try to do is ensure that truth and acceptance of numerous viewpoints are included in a public college system. A pupil must be aware that their household’s values aren’t common. That is simply a part of residing within the melting pot that’s the USA.”

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New Hampshire

Why are the New Hampshire Ice Castles so blue?

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Why are the New Hampshire Ice Castles so blue?


Why are the New Hampshire Ice Castles so blue? – CBS Boston

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The Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire are set to open this weekend, inviting visitors to enter a world of frosty enchantment. WBZ-TV’s Jacob Wycoff reports.

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New Hampshire

New Hampshire Ice Castles get unexpected boost from Mother Nature

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New Hampshire Ice Castles get unexpected boost from Mother Nature


NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH – The Ice Castles in North Woodstock, New Hampshire, are set to open this weekend, inviting visitors to enter a world of frosty enchantment.

Why are the Ice Castles blue?

With towering ice walls, sparkling tunnels and glowing sculptures, the Ice Castles are a true winter masterpiece. As crews put the finishing touches on the attraction ahead of Friday’s opening, this year marks one of the attraction’s earliest starts on record.

What makes New Hampshire’s Ice Castles unique is their distinct blue hue, a result of the pristine water sourced from nearby rivers. This natural element enhances the beauty of the castle, which gleams a cool blue under daylight. But it’s after dark when the castles truly transform, illuminated by thousands of LED lights embedded in the ice, creating a magical, glowing spectacle.

At night, LED lights embedded in the ice turn New Hampshire’s Ice Castles into a glowing spectacle.
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What does it take to build the Ice Castles?

Crafting this frozen wonder is no easy feat. The process begins as early as October, with a dedicated team of artists and builders meticulously constructing the castles by hand. They use millions of icicles grown and frozen on-site, working tirelessly to bring the vision to life.

“Mother Nature is 100% the main architect,” said Luke Ely, assistant manager for Ice Castles New Hampshire. “We pretty much do a dance with her the entire season to get what we have today.”

This year’s early-season cold weather provided an unexpected boost, allowing the team to get ahead of schedule for Friday’s opening.

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Reflecting on the allure of ice, Ely added, “You don’t see it in this medium too much. Most of the time, winter is kind of like looked at as a harsh, negative, just-get-through-it kind of time time, and ice is the main factor in all that. And being able to do something  with it that’s more beautiful and graceful, I thing, draws a lot folks.” 

The Ice Castles in New Hampshire aim to remain open through April, weather permitting. Visitors are encouraged to experience this seasonal wonder before Mother Nature decides to reclaim her icy masterpiece.

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Two hospitalized after ambulance crashes in New Hampshire

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Two hospitalized after ambulance crashes in New Hampshire


Two people who were inside an ambulance had to be taken to the hospital when the emergency vehicle crashed Monday evening.

Firefighters responded to the crash on Old Candia Road just before 7:00 p.m.

First responders arrived to find that the driver of the ambulance was not responsive and another person inside the ambulance also needed medical treatment. Both were transported to the Elliot Hospital.

Candia firefighters say one occupant has been discharged from the emergency department while the other has been admitted to the hospital in stable condition.

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An initial investigation determined the driver suffered a medical emergency while it was returning to the station, veered into the opposite lane of travel, hitting several small trees and a traffic sign before crashing into a water-filled ditch.

The ambulance passenger was able to exit the crashed vehicle and helped to treat the driver until additional medical units arrived on the scene.

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