New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Supreme Court on Wednesday affirmed a lower court’s decision to order an 11-year-old out of homeschooling and into a public school.

The three-justice panel ruled in favor of divorced father Martin Kurowski, who argued that homeschooling prevents “adequate socialization” for his daughter. The justices asserted in the court opinion that they were not choosing sides among the various forms of education.

"While [the case] involves home schooling, it is not about the merits of home verses public schooling," they stated. more >>

The New Hampshire Supreme Court on Thursday heard arguments in a case of a Christian girl who was ordered out of homeschooling and into a public school by a state judge.

Amanda Kurowski, now 11, was ordered by a trial court in July 2009 to attend a public school. Her mother, Brenda A. Kurowski (Voydatch), is appealing the decision.

John A. Simmons, the attorney representing Voydatch, argued before the five-judge panel that the court did not follow the modification standard it should have in the parenting plan that existed between Voydatch and her ex-husband, Martin Kurowski. more >>

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit upheld the constitutionality of the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance in New Hampshire's public schools.

The decision on Friday by the three-judge panel dealt another blow to atheists who have made several attempts to strike down the pledge and the inclusion of the words "under God" as unconstitutional.

The Freedom From Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit in 2007 on behalf of two parents whose three children were attending public schools. The parents are atheist and agnostic. more >>

The first openly gay bishop in The Episcopal Church announced on Saturday that he will retire in 2013, partly because of the ongoing controversy surrounding his election.

Addressing the Diocese of New Hampshire at its annual convention, the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson spoke honestly in saying that the last seven years have "taken their toll on me, my family, and you."

"Death threats, and the now-worldwide controversy surrounding your election of me as Bishop, have been a constant strain, not just on me, but on my beloved husband, Mark, who has faithfully stood with me every minute of the last seven years, and in some ways, you," he said. "While I believe that these attitudes, mostly outside the Diocese, have not distracted me from my service to you, I would be less than honest if I didn’t say that they have certainly added a burden and certain anxiety to my episcopate." more >>

A federal appeals court is being urged to uphold the constitutionality of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance recited in New Hampshire schools.

More than 40 members of Congress and 80,000 Americans are calling on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit to uphold a lower court’s decision that ruled the pledge should not be removed from the schools because it is an expression of patriotism, not religion.

“There is absolutely no legal reason to strike the words ‘under God’ from the pledge and reject this time-honored tradition,” said Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice, which filed an amicus brief Wednesday with the First Circuit. “The fact is the federal district court understood the fact that there’s no constitutional crisis in permitting public school students to voluntarily recite the pledge – an expression of patriotism.” more >>

The New Hampshire House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a bill that would tightly regulate homsechooling.

The state House voted 324-34 against changes to the current law.

"Winning by such a significant margin is welcome relief for New Hampshire homeschool families," said Mike Donnelly, staff attorney for Home School Legal Defense Association. more >>