By Ray Cardello for June 12, 2021. Season 1 / Post 147

The hand of an unvaccinated attendee at the Senior Prom

Show us your papers, or we will mark your hands. Does that sound familiar? Maybe to those of us who remember and believe history, it may sound too familiar. Unfortunately, this was not a history lesson on the tattooing of Jews by the Nazis but a scene from the 2021 Exeter, New Hampshire High School Prom. I am not going to apologize if it sounds like I am writing in hyperbole or being over-dramatic. It is far past time to speak out about these ridiculous actions on our children by teachers and administrators.

Exeter is a small town on the seacoast of New Hampshire. It is known to be the birthplace of the Republican Party in the mid-1800s. Amos Tuck is credited with that birth. Abraham Lincoln spoke to the people of Exeter from the steps of the Old Town Hall in 1860. Amos and Abe have long since left Exeter and apparently, so has common sense.

There have been three events in just the last few weeks that have awakened the ire of parents in this small town. The three events have emanated from our school department and show that the administration needs to supply some answers to some difficult questions. They have gone off the tracks that run through this town and need to be put back on the rails.

The first event was the hiring of a new principal for one of our two elementary schools. The search for the right person for the Board went to Arizona, where they found and hired Tonja Neve. Miss Neve is bringing to Exeter her belief in Critical Race Theory and the 1619 Project. We know this because recently, Miss Neve hit the national news for her degrading comments of parents who opposed these views in Arizona. The new hire is to start her new job in Exeter on July 1st unless the public can intervene now that further information has been uncovered.

The second event happened at our middle school that was recently celebrating Pride Week. Students were encouraged to wear pins or capes to celebrate groups or issues they believe in. American flags and rainbow capes were allowed but one male teacher, yet to be named, removed a student from his class for wearing a Thin Blue Line pin. The Thin Blue Line pin is to honor all members of the police force. Apparently, this teacher is not a fan of the police, and his actions have triggered a lawsuit by the student’s parents against the School Board and the teacher. Maybe a significant payout will start to wake up this School Board.

The Thin Blue Line honors the members of our Police Forces

Finally, the Senior Prom debacle. Students attending the prom that was held outdoors were asked to produce proof that they had been vaccinated against COVID-19. If they could not provide documentation, they had a number written on their hand with a magic marker. At random intervals throughout the night, all students were asked to raise their hands. The students close to anyone with a marked hand were documented by one of the chaperones. The Principal of the school said this marking and tracking was being done to contact trace the event. What it did was single out, and humiliated students that had not been, nor have been shown to need to be, vaccinated. It is unclear whether administrators had communicated this tracing method to anyone before the event.

These occurrences are happening under the purview of the School Department. These educators and administrators are supposed to be intelligent individuals charged with educating and setting a positive example for our younger generation. They are failing, and their deceptive practices cannot be tolerated. There is proof circulating that in addition to mask mandates that should have been stopped, children’s mental health data is collected without consent, and $10,000 was spent on monitoring student activity on Social Media. Parents are afraid to speak out, and that needs to change. We cannot solve these issues with silence.

After parents, the adults our children encounter during their time in school are most important. They help to mold our children into the adults they will become. Our school department is failing in its responsibility and needs to be held accountable. People need to be suspended or terminated for their actions. Unions need to be challenged to uphold these decisions. The Town Selectmen need to get involved and take some responsibility for controlling this School Board.

The next School Board Meeting is this week. I believe it will be a pressure-packed meeting, and the Board better be ready to face an angry group of people. They will learn that there may be no greater force than from a mother whose child has been harmed. Let the people take back the power in this small town. Amos and Abe will be watching and supporting us from above.