Strong opinions offered on Saint Thomas Aquinas and legalizing weed in NH: Letters

Here's what's really going on at St. Thomas Aquinas High School

May 18 — To the Editor:l

To Ms. Mary Weston, and to other readers like her, in response to her May 11 letter to the editor:

I appreciate that you have noticed there is a brouhaha developing out on Dover Point Road in recent days. But, as you yourself said, you are probably misinformed as you “don’t know much about what is going on“ at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School.

So please allow me to provide you context.

The Diocese of Manchester incorporated St. Thomas Aquinas in 2020, and again in 2022, and delegated both oversight and day-to-day control to a Board of Trustees, headed by businesspeople unqualified to make decisions over the curriculum at any school and to control decisions regarding staff, policy, and financial matters. This board hired Mr. Paul Marquis, despite his lack of qualifications, to assume the role of principal of Saint Thomas Aquinas, following the retirement of Mr. Kevin Collins in 2020.

Some two weeks ago, ostensibly while performing typical end-of-year contract reviews, four long-term teachers were informed they would not be offered reemployment for the next academic year. These teachers were not under review, had no notice this event was likely, and in fact had every understandable expectation they would be rehired as they had every year for nearly 20 years or more.  It is the belief of a significant number of the greater St Thomas Aquinas community that these teachers were, in effect, terminated because they disagreed with changes that had been made to the school’s curriculum without valid cause and that they were targeted for their personal and political beliefs. Such discrimination is not only against both St. Thomas Aquinas’s and the Diocese’s anti-discrimination policies, but is illegal under both New Hampshire and federal law.

In addition to the several teachers who have been, in effect, terminated, other members of staff who are opposed to the policy changes at St. Thomas Aquinas have been let go without valid cause. In response to the school administration’s actions, several additional instructors and staff have resigned in protest.  Combined, these teachers and staff have nearly 200 years’ worth of experience as faculty at St Thomas Aquinas. The institutional damage committed against the school, the students, the remaining faculty, the STA community and the Seacoast community at large is immense.

Unlike with an elected public school board, there is no community oversight or immediate involvement in the actions and decisions taken by the Board of Trustees and Mr. Marquis. Since they assumed control in 2020, there has been a clear and increasing bent to policy at Saint Thomas Aquinas in keeping with right-leaning political discourse. While the Catholic Church, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the Diocese of Manchester do lean in a more conservative direction, generally Saint Thomas Aquinas had a long history of being open to all views. The school encouraged its students to grow in whatever way best made them productive members of society. Politics rarely, if ever, came into the foreground of instruction, and when on the rare occasions it did the discussion would often include an honest examination of what Christ’s teachings implied in that given situation.

Christ cared for the sick. Christ fed the hungry. Christ accepted those rejected by others. Christ argued that the state should be supported, but not involve itself in the personal beliefs of the citizenry. Christ believed too the citizenry ought to pray in private, and not foist their beliefs on others. Christ welcomed all, and forgave those who betrayed and executed him.

Ensuring that civil rights and civil liberties are respected is not “some new fuss.“ They are the eternal struggle of this country and our civilization. The rights of the maligned being respected, protected, and proclaimed are also the mission of Christ. It is the duty of any true Catholic, any true Christian, to respect, protect, and proclaim the rights of the maligned.

It would be more refreshing if institutions abided by their own guiding principles, rather than fed the paranoia and heat of the misinformed.

Lux in Tenebris.

Patrick Breslin, Esq. STA Class of 2008

Camden, New Jersey (formerly of Kittery, Maine)

More: St. Thomas Aquinas teachers let go. School denies claims LGBTQ+ affiliation is reason.

More: Has St. Thomas Aquinas changed? Parents, students, alumni say they want better answers

'Fake news' about St. Thomas Aquinas does a disservice to the students

May 18 — To the Editor:

The Fox News-like inflammatory one-sided coverage of teacher changes at St. Thomas Aquinas High School that was allowed to be published is beneath you. I hold a BA in journalism from New York University, and it was apparent that there was no fact checking in the piece due to the lack of interviews with the leadership at the school. The coverage appears to be all hearsay or "fake news" based on social media as far as I can tell from a quick online search into the claims that were made in the coverage.

Bottom line — the coverage of the teacher transition at St. Thomas Aquinas High School is clearly completely biased and intentionally inflammatory. As a result of such coverage, police had to be posted at the school to protect the students and teachers from any unstable person who is seeking a reason to release their anger. Do you have any idea of how upsetting this is to the kids in particular?

I do.

In case you don't remember, you recently reported on several shooting scares at the Portsmouth public schools. My son is currently enrolled in the Portsmouth public school system. He and his friends are very well aware of school shootings. They are a terrifying prospect.

Please go back to traditional journalism and only publish well-researched articles. In the case of this recent coverage, your paper transformed into a gossip columnist looking to stir up trouble disguised as a news outlet.

Emma Pearson 

Portsmouth

Editor's note: Both articles included extensive comments from STA President Paul Marquis in which he was able to comment on all allegations regarding the school.

Good news and bad news in efforts to legalize adult-use cannabis

May 16 — To the Editor:

As a proponent for the legalization of cannabis in the state of New Hampshire, I was disappointed once again with the Senate voting against the most recent bill to legalize the adult recreational use. I felt that once again that the Senate as well as Gov. Chris Sununu were not listening to the will of the people, as 70% of voters in New Hampshire are in favor of legalization.

Cannabis is here in the state, being purchased either in the black market, or consumers going out of state to buy. Each of these scenarios will change for the better with New Hampshire legalization. Now comes word that Governor Sununu has changed his mind, and he would be in favor of legalization of cannabis as long as it is done “ the right way”. That is the good news. The bad news? His “ right way” is state government control, similar to how wine and spirits are sold and distributed in the state.

In my opinion, this is definitely not the right way to go. First of all, the state will always be involved to a certain degree in the cannabis industry, from a licensing and enforcement standpoint. However, the wholesaling and retail side of the business is much better served by the private sector, just like all our surrounding states.

I’m against government monopolies in general and especially when it comes to the retailing of consumer goods. This includes alcohol, but that is a story for a different day. We need to ask ourselves: What is the role of government in our lives? I look at it as providing infrastructure of roads and bridges, education of the people, fire and police protection, taking care of people who have difficulty taking care of themselves. That is the basic role they play, and selling’s cannabis is not one of them! The private sector will provide more jobs with better pay and benefits. The private sector will be more innovative in product selection, retail experience and availability.

I'm glad the governor is willing to change his mind when it comes to legalization − however statecontrol is an antiquated system and will not be in the best interest of the voters in the state of New Hampshire.

Jerry Prial

Portsmouth

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Strong opinions on Saint Thomas Aquinas and legal weed in NH: Letters