Today, the State Board of Education voted to approve PragerU for NH’s Learn Everywhere program. PragerU is a dangerous, thinly-veiled, faith-based curriculum that does not belong in NH’s public schools. The Council of Churches showed up to speak in against it. You can read Rev. Heidi’s remarks below.

I will keep my remarks brief this morning. My name is the Rev. Heidi Carrington Heath. I am the Executive Director of the NH Council of Churches, representing seven denominations, and hundreds of congregations across the state. I am also an ordained Christian minister.

I am here this morning to say clearly and explicitly that Prager U does not belong in NH public schools, and classrooms. Prager U is thinly veiled, faith-based curriculum. The bedrock of our democracy is a separation of church and state. That begins with ensuring our classrooms are equitable places of learning and belonging for all students in NH. True freedom requires that our classrooms are open and accessible to all, and that cannot be so when our curricula privileges one religious viewpoint, or perspective over another. To do so is not a matter of faith, but a matter of coercion.

I trust that our State Board of Education will uphold their work and commitment to all NH students this morning. On behalf of our clergy, congregations, and people of faith and moral conscience across NH, we ask our board to vote no. Thank you.