Brentwood School Board candidate Meghan Fitzgerald
Name: Meghan Fitzgerald
Education: Dartmouth College, bachelor of arts; Johns Hopkins University, master's in public administration
Occupation: Nonprofit fundraising, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua
Political or civic experience highlights: I have been a School Board member at Swasey Central School for the past three years and am running for re-election.
What would be your top three priorities if you are elected?: During my time as a School Board member, I have seen the impact that a strong board can have on student success. I am committed to ensuring that our school has the resources and support it needs to provide a best-in-class education for all students, as well as a positive working environment that retains our amazing staff. If re-elected, my top three priorities will be:1. To advocate for policies that support student achievement, teacher retention, and community engagement.2. To work with my fellow School Board members and administrators to approve and manage Swasey’s budget to maximize resources for student success while balancing the impact of that budget on all taxpayers in our community.3. To ensure the physical and emotional safety of all students and members of the Swasey community.These priorities will be achieved through effective collaboration with all stakeholders (board members, school administrators, guardians, and community members). This will ensure continued excellence at Swasey Central School, and will help our youngest students build a foundation for future success.
How should the school district handle requests to remove books from the library or curriculum?: The Swasey School Board passed policy IJL in April 2023 that governs the selection, acquisition, and removal of library materials. As stated in this policy, the board adheres to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, Freedom to Read, and Freedom to View statements. There is a similar policy, IJ, that governs the selection of curriculum materials.
Parents with objections to specific books can utilize policy IGE, which lays out a process to request that their student receive instruction with alternative materials upon mutual agreement. Utilization of existing policies allows parents to restrict access to books for their own students on a case-to-case basis.
As a candidate, I believe that banning books at the school level goes against the fundamental principles of education: to promote critical thinking, empathy, and understanding to cultivate lifelong learners and community leaders.
Banning books restricts students' access to diverse perspectives, stifles creativity and limits opportunities to engage with challenging ideas in a safe space. Reading books that challenge beliefs or introduce students to different cultures and experiences helps develop critical thinking skills and gain a deeper understanding of the world.
It is not the role of schools, and especially school boards, to shield students from difficult topics or ideas, but rather to provide them with tools to navigate and engage with these issues in a respectful, thoughtful manner.
Do you support the expansion of education freedom accounts in New Hampshire?: I believe that the education freedom account program is detrimental to public education and public interest in our state; it should not be expanded. This program diverts already limited state funding away from public schools, reducing the resources available to public schools and increasing the burden on taxpayers to support high-quality education.
Vouchers often do not cover the full cost of private school tuition, leaving low-income families at a disadvantage in accessing alternatives to public schools. This undermines the concept of equitable access to education, exacerbates existing income-based achievement gaps, and perpetuates inequity in our education system.
Private schools that accept vouchers are not held to the same standards as public schools in terms of teacher qualifications, curriculum requirements, and student performance evaluations. This lack of oversight raises concerns about the quality and consistency of education provided to students using taxpayer funds. Private schools are also able to deny enrollment to students based on special education needs and family demographics, leaving many families excluded from participating in the program and public schools covering the cost of an adequate education for all students using a smaller pool of funds.
As a School Board member, I am committed to advocating for strong public schools that serve all students regardless of background or ability.
What else should voters know about your views on local schools and public education?: I believe that every child in our community deserves access to a high-quality, well-rounded education. As a parent of two Swasey students and a School Board member for the past three years, I am confident that this is what students receive at Swasey Central School.
Looking to the next three years, I know that our school will need to continually evolve to meet the changing needs of children in our community. As a board, we have been dedicated to using the data available to us to ensure our school continues to meet the needs of our students. We will also be taking on multiple buildings and grounds projects, as well as renegotiating the teacher contract during this term. My experience as a board member will add value during these processes.
Throughout my service on the board, I will be committed to working with my fellow board members to seek input from all stakeholders – parents, teachers, students, and community members – to make informed, student-centered decisions. Thank you for your consideration, I’m looking forward to continuing to serve our community!
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Brentwood School Board candidate Meghan Fitzgerald
