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 HelloReturn to index of stories... |
Hello. I'm Allison McNair. Welcome to NH Outlook. |
| Intro Legislature Return to index of stories... |
New Hampshire Legislators are nearing the time when the House bills are due to be passed to the Senate and vice versa. It takes a marathon session or two to get through the hundreds of bills on the table. We'll discuss some of those bills making their way through the Senate in this program. Richard Ager has our report. and our discussion. |
| Legislature Return to index of stories... |
Host: With only a week to go before the crossover deadline, the Senate faced a full session that included several bills that had proven contentious during their hearings. Track: The first to spark lengthy debate was a measure to regulate same-day voter registration. Voters would have to sign an affidavit affirming they are NH residents, and understand the penalties for false registration. Bite: Senate bill 1 11:07:55 It says they must be 18 years of age, a United States citizen, and they must be domiciled in the city or town they are registering to vote in. And then it goes on to explain, to anyone who may have trouble understanding, it tells them you can only claim one town as your domicile. I haven't found anything that would anyone fearful. Track: The affidavit also lists fines for providing false information, and a warning. soundup: 11:10:00 Be aware that by leaving your former state, you may lose some benefits. Bite: 11:00:25 What does the mean forfeiting your benefits or rights, what if you are someone - it's your first time voting. What does that mean to you? Does it mean you will lose other rights. Does it mean as a student that you will lose a scholarship? Is that the intent of this? Do we want to pass an affidavit process that makes people question their right to vote? Track: Supporters of the bill say yes, in the case of out-of-state students. But opponents said it could scare off new Americans Bite; 11:03:38 Let me tell you that my grandmother never voted. Came to this country at the age of 16 but never, ever voted because she was afraid of the process. Because in those days, if you were an Italian-American living in the community, you were basically ostracized from the process. I think the fear that is instilled by this amendment does that to these new American citizens. Track: But the bill passed and debate began on a bill that would extend the kindergarten construction aid program which provides matching grants to communities that want to start new kindergarten programs. Bite: Senate tape 1 11:31:32 Many towns have already taken advantage of this program and now there are only 19 towns left in the entire nation, all of them in NH, that do not offer public kindergarten. Track: The kindergarten aid began 5 years ago but is scheduled to end in 2004. Some who originally supported the measure say the state's towns have had long enough to apply for the money. Bite: Senate tape 1 11:36:08 Why should we tuck away another $3 million that we could use on other items - and we're scratching our heads for money - if the citizens of the towns don't want it, why should we keep that money out there if they keep saying no, no, no. Track: But the chair of the Senate education committee said it's not that simple - and some towns are preoccupied with their existing commitments. Bite: Senate tape 1 11:46:35 And our school districts are struggling with building aid for grades 1-6 or 1-12 and their first obligation is for elementary and secondary schools and kindergarten comes second. Bite; Senate tape 1 11:53:35 We should give them one more opportunity, and one more opportunity is not going to hurt anybody. We've already done it five times, and maybe if we give that child one more opportunity, maybe Mr. President, we may see him standing there someday, being President of the Senate. So the $3 million may be a bit of task for us to go out and find it and make different allocations in the budget, but I think when we're talking about children, that should be our first priority. Track: But the measure failed on a 12-12 tie. But not every bill provoked division. Senate bill 86 - a measure known as the Kassidy Bortner bill, is named for a young child murdered by her mother's boyfriend, even though state agencies had been told she was in danger. Bite: senate bill 2 13:32:10 What happened to Kassidy Bortner should never happen again. There were some problems that caused this death and we have to alleviate this. This bill begins the process of doing this and maybe begins the process of healing, so that no other child is beaten or even killed as in the case of Kassidy Bortner. Track: The bill would provide more information from the state Division of children, youth and families on fatalities and near fatalities, and require that the state agency to be accredited - which would most likely lead to requirements for more caseworkers and resources. Soundup: senate tape 2 13:34:37 Senator Gallus. Yes. Senator Johnson. Yes. Track: One by one, every senator present said yes. It was a rare legislative moment inspired by a shared human concern. For NH Outlook, I'm Richard Ager. |
| Discussion Return to index of stories... |
Joining me is Senator Richard Green, Republican of Rochester, and Senator Lou D'Allesandro, Democrat from Manchester. Welcome both from a busy session. First up: same-day voter registration. This was a measure that provoked some deep responses among the senators. Sen. D'Allesandro - do you see this aimed at preventing out-of state college students from voting Sen. Green - any problem with this bill? Sen. Green - you made a point in the kindergarten aid debate that everyone supports kindergarten - so why not support this now? You vote could have made the difference. This isn't necessarily the end of kindergarten aid, is it? - developmental services waiting list - this got tabled - some serious money here - but recommended ought to pass by 6-0 vote out of finance committee - what's going on? Rare instance - unanimous vote for the KassidyBortner bill sponsored by Sen. Martel. That will make more information available from DCYF on child fatalities and near fatalities - and will require acreditation for Child and Family Services - which could clearly lead to requirements for more caseworkers and so on. Do you think this will be followed through as it gets more expensive? A couple of health insurance bills - one would allow insurance companies to issue policies with riders that state they don't cover pre-existing conditions. How helpful can that be? SB 110 got a lot of attention - it changes some of the regulations surrounding health insurance for small businesses. More competition? Did health insurance reform some years ago chase companies out? Campaign contributions by labor and businesses - Multi - hall linked bingo - anywhere? - even a bill to require buses to stop at railroad crossings - House bills next - how do 24 people handle work of 400? |
| Intro Kittle Return to index of stories... |
One of the disputed issues this legislative session has been the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how to pay for it. It mandates sweeping changes in elementary and secondary education. While many educators say they agree with the act in principle, some are concerned that the rush to implement high stakes testing ignores the real educational issues of today. In a recently published book - Public Teaching, One kid at a time, Conway author Penny Kittle takes her teaching public to illustrate the challenges and realities in today's classrooms. Theresa Kennett thas the story. 2:35 |
| One Kid at a Time Return to index of stories... |
Penny Interview at 2:40:16 I've always wanted to say to the president, I wish you could congratulate teachers for all of the hard work that they really are doing. I have written pieces where I have said no child will be left behind in my classroom if I can do anything about it, it breaks my heart when I can't reach a child and that the greatest desire that we have as teachers is to reach kids, we would never take that lightly and that we've committed our entire lives to this work. And yet we can be kicked around if you aren't in compliance three years down the road we replace the whole staff of the school. What does that mean, why would you go after teachers? Penny Kittle is the Professional Development Coordinator for the Conway School District. Her book, Public Teaching: One Kid at a Time, started out to be a support for new teachers but as the project developed so did its purpose. 1:45:36 -:50 Part of it is an answer to.there are a lot of things said about schools and teaching and education that are simply not true. And if people spent time in classrooms they would understand why every child can't be in the same place at the same time. During her book signing at White Birch Book Sellers in North Conway, Kittle read an excerpt that demonstrates how daily life intrudes on the learning process. Penny at Book Signing at White Birch Book Sellers: 8:48-to 9:18: You have to wonder: what exactly are we accountable for? Imagine if I had written the whole truth on their report cards: Chris struggled to understand his mother's rejection while mastering multiplication of two-digit numbers. He walked by her house each morning on his way to the bus, and if she saw him, she ignored him, but he could name of the states and their capitals. Don Graves at 30:10 Penny's book is so special because she is one of the few people I've me tthat can write about kids in a multi-dimensional way. You not only see them you hear them. Don Graves is a best-selling author who has been involved in writing research for two decades. He wrote the forward to Kittle's book. Don Graves Interview 32:05 -:25 Certainly in this book, parents, legislators can see inside a room and what it means to be a teacher today. Because they meet real personalities and if they look carefully there will see there own kids. Don Murray at 43:30 She reveals people in real situations and is very candid and direct and puts you in the classroom as the reader. Don Murray is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, published author, and columnist for the Boston Globe. He wrote the afterward to Kittle's book. Don Murray at 45:57 I flunked out of highschool. I dropped out three years in a row and flunked out. So I might be one of the students in this book and I needed some one to listen to me and understand me . Jump cut to 46:50 - cover with 1:00:31 I had no Penny Kittles that listened to me or cared about me or even knew me. Nats of teaching While most of Kittle's time as professional development coordinator is spent supervising new teachers and planning staff development, today she is guest teaching. The lesson is essay writing, and like teaching, writing is something that Kittle is passionate about. Penny Interview at 1:50:26 I think that writing provides opportunities to get to know kids and that's one of the reasons that I love what I do. They long to be known and they long to know what other adults that they respect and know in their world think about some of the challenges that they have and the real stories that they are facing. Student in class - at 1:06:45 - 55 I also wrote down holding my best friend's hand when he died, and fighting and hugging with my family Student at 1:07:25 -:30 I wear a ring that my mom gave me because she is moving away . 2:38:02 I talk about kids going after the nagging questions in their life, ethically, morally, all of these things that kids wrestle with that they're not sure how they comeo out in their world so they start writing about and then it makes sense. 2:32:08, two shot with TLK saying As the general public reads your book, do you think they will be shocked at some of the realities of today's classroom? There are some very brutal stories. Penny Interview at 2:32:17 - two shot Well they shock me. Honestly, things happen sometimes with kids and I can't believe the rage and just who kids are and some of what they are expressing and feeling. Penny at book signing 8:15 I wrote the piece because teachers carry so much of the emotional life of their kids on their backs when they teach Jump cut to Penny at Book signing 7:15 - 28 I'm not sure I knew then what an impact a teacher and a classroom community can have on a child. I was new to teaching, I was a ball of energy. I was also this girl's shelter on the most awful day in her young life. Penny 1:52:31 -:50 There is a sense that I wanna be Pollyanna and tell only the good things. And some of the pieces in there I thought you know, I shouldn't put that in there, people don't want to know. But at the same time my goal was to make it real and those kids are in our rooms and some of them are in horrible places. Stand UP In an era where test scores and outside accountability promise to pave the road to school improvement, Kittle hopes her book will convince people that parent involvement and local support are the real keys to success in public education. Penny at 2:31:01 If I could get local communities talking about what's happening in their schools then wonderful things would happen. If more parents were involved in PTA and in other ways getting into classrooms and really spending time with teachers, we would transform our schools. From Conway, I'm Theresa Kennett for NH Outlook |
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For more information on our program, streaming video, links to our guests and interviews and to tell us what's on your mind in our discussion forum, visit our website at nhptv.org. |
| Tomorrow Return to index of stories... |
On the next New Hampshire Outlook - It's our Friday Edition: Journalists from around the state discuss the week's top stories. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
That's it for this edition of our program. For all of us here at New Hampshire Public Television, I'm Ally McNair. Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next time on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Public Service of New Hampshire Stratford Foundation |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. It's our Friday Edition as journalists from around the state discuss the week's top stories. Join us tonight at 10:00 only on New Hampshire Outlook. |
| Intro Discussion Return to index of stories... |
Joining us now from Concord in our weekly legislative update: Senate Finance committee chair Richard Green, a Republican from Rochester and Senate Chair of the Ways and Means Committee Lou D'Allasandro, a Democrat from Manchester. |
| Intro Lysistrata Return to index of stories... |
A worldwide theatrical event took place on Monday, March 3rd. Over one thousand readings of "Lysistrata" were staged in 52 different countries. The readings were done in protest of a United States war with Iraq. The granite state was host to a few of these readings. Celene Ramadan has the story. |
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For information on our program, and links to our guests and interviews, visit our web site at nhptv.org. You can see and hear streaming video of our broadcasts. We want to know what's on your mind. Join our discussion forum and tell us what you're thinking. If you have a story idea or comment on our program, click the feedback button. Or, call us at 800-639-2721. |
| key: State Politics / Government Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 4/03/03 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 19:00 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, it's our weekly legislative wrap up. New Hampshire Legislators are nearing the time when the House bills are due to be passed to the Senate and vice versa. It takes a marathon session or two to get through the hundreds of bills on the table. We'll discuss some of those bills making their way through the Senate in this program. Richard Ager has our report. and our discussion with Senator Richard Green, Republican of Rochester, and Senator Lou D'Allesandro, Democrat from Manchester. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Richard Ager NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Sen. Robert Clegg\R - Majority Leader, Sen. Sylvia Larsen\D - District 15, Sen. Lou D'Allesandro\D - District 20, Sen. Clifton Below\D - District 5, Sen. Jack Barnes\R - District 17, Sen. Jane O'Hearn\R - District 12, Sen. Ted Gatsas\R - District 16, Sen. Andre Martel\R - District 18, Sen. Richard Green\R - District |
| key: State Politics / Government Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 4/03/03 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 6:00 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, it's our weekly legislative wrap up. One of the disputed issues this legislative session has been the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how to pay for it. It mandates sweeping changes in elementary and secondary education. While many educators say they agree with the act in principle, some are concerned that the rush to implement high stakes testing ignores the real educational issues of today. In a recently published book - Public Teaching, One kid at a time, Conway author Penny Kittle takes her teaching public to illustrate the challenges and realities in today's classrooms. Theresa Kennett thas the story. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Theresa Kennett NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Penny Kittle\Author, Donald Graves\Author, Donald Murray\Columnist and Author |
| key: Education Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 4/03/03 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 6:00 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, it's our weekly legislative wrap up. One of the disputed issues this legislative session has been the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how to pay for it. It mandates sweeping changes in elementary and secondary education. While many educators say they agree with the act in principle, some are concerned that the rush to implement high stakes testing ignores the real educational issues of today. In a recently published book - Public Teaching, One kid at a time, Conway author Penny Kittle takes her teaching public to illustrate the challenges and realities in today's classrooms. Theresa Kennett thas the story. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Theresa Kennett NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Penny Kittle\Author, Donald Graves\Author, Donald Murray\Columnist and Author |
| key: Youth Return to index of stories... |
NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 4/03/03 22:00 HOST: Allison McNair Length: 6:00 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, it's our weekly legislative wrap up. One of the disputed issues this legislative session has been the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how to pay for it. It mandates sweeping changes in elementary and secondary education. While many educators say they agree with the act in principle, some are concerned that the rush to implement high stakes testing ignores the real educational issues of today. In a recently published book - Public Teaching, One kid at a time, Conway author Penny Kittle takes her teaching public to illustrate the challenges and realities in today's classrooms. Theresa Kennett thas the story. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Theresa Kennett NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Penny Kittle\Author, Donald Graves\Author, Donald Murray\Columnist and Author |
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Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. . Tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Public Television. |