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A NOTE TO THE HAMPTON, NH SAU 90 SCHOOL BOARD AND MUNICIPAL BUDGET COMMITTEE.
COMMENTS REGARDING ARTICLE IV on the SAU 90 MARCH 12, 2024, TOWN BALLOT – Child Care Services to Sacred Heart School (SHS) $52,521.
BOARD/COMMITTEE VOTES – three abstentions on the School Board and three no votes on the Budget Committee.
These votes as well as some of the tone at the deliberative session last month seem to be based mostly on partisan political ideals, and NOT on the well-being of the town of Hampton and its taxpayers.
My father Thomas A. Barnes served on the SHS school board while his daughter attended the parochial school, and as 1992 alumni, I can testify that the school welcomed all religions and never shoved Catholicism or any ideal for that matter, down any student’s throat. This school is part of the Hampton community, and the politicization of this warrant article is a travesty.
For those concerned about “separation of church and state,” the First Amendment of the US Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;” (shall meaning MUST).
Then we also have the NH Bill of Rights Article five which states, “Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and reason; and no subject shall be hurt, molested, or restrained, in his person, liberty, or estate, for worshipping God in the manner and season most agreeable to the dictates of his own conscience; or for his religious profession, sentiments, or persuasion; provided he doth not disturb the public peace or disturb others in their religious worship.’
Part II of the NH Constitution, Form of Government (the operating manual for the state government) Article eighty-three states "Provided, nevertheless, that no money raised by taxation shall ever be granted or applied for the use of the schools of institutions of any religious sect or denomination." This article of the consitution would only be applied to the state government and NOT to taxpayers and citizens. Therefore, that would mean the taxpayers of a municipality have the right to award funding to a parochial school that is a genuine asset to the Town and its community as a whole.
At the school deliberative session, a President Kennedy speech was referenced, and as much as I appreciate President Kennedy, he nor any other President MAKE THE LAW. In other words, separation of church and state is a mere interpretation of the first amendment, it is NOT THE LAW.
I am hopeful that the Hampton voters next week will show more consideration to SHS, and the needs of their attending children as presented by the administration of this school district, than both the school board and the budget committee have shown by their tallied votes.
Regina Barnes
Former two-term Hampton selectman
