New Hampshire Faces Lawsuit Over ‘Divisive Concepts’ Law

A teachers union has filed a federal lawsuit over New Hampshire’s ban on teaching “divisive concepts” about race, culture and ethnicity.

The New Hampshire chapter of the American Federation of Teachers filed the litigation on behalf of several parents and teachers, asking a U.S. District Court judge to block the new law, which prohibits teaching about systemic racism and sexism in public schools and state-funded programs.

In the lawsuit, the union’s lawyers argue that that statute is “unconstitutionally vague” making it impossible for educators to teach subjects dealing with race and ethnicity to students.

“Today, we are taking a stand against a law that brings political partisanship into the classroom and chokes off learning in a way that is reminiscent of book burning,” Deb Howes, the union’s president, told reporters in a briefing. {snip}

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American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten called the law “chilling and untenable” and vowed that it will be overturned by the courts.

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The new law was tucked into a two-year state budget signed in June by Gov. Chris Sununu.

Sununu’s decision not to veto the provision prompted at least 10 members of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Diversity and Inclusion to resign in protest.

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