N.H. House passes bill banning ‘indoctrination’ in public schools

The New Hampshire House of Representatives advanced a sweeping bill aimed at regulating how public schools teach about race, American history, and LGBTQ+ issues, passing the measure largely along party lines and sending it to the Senate for further consideration.

The legislation, formally titled the Countering Hate And Revolutionary Leftist Indoctrination in Education Act — or CHARLIE Act — is named after conservative activist Charlie Kirk. It passed the House 184–164 on Feb. 19, with just four Republicans joining all of the House Democrats in opposition. 

House Bill 1792 would prohibit public schools and personnel from teaching “certain pedagogies,” including critical race theory, LGBTQ+ issues and history, and Marxist analyses. The bill bans instruction that “promotes division, dialectical world-views, critical consciousness, or anti-constitutional indoctrination.” Instead, the bill asserts that education in New Hampshire public schools should “cultivate a neutral or patriotic disposition.”

Republican supporters alleged on the House floor that such “indoctrination” is already occurring in New Hampshire classrooms, the New Hampshire Bulletin reported.

But Democrats sharply disputed that characterization. Rep. Loren Selig, a former teacher, rejected the notion that educators are indoctrinating students.

“Teachers in New Hampshire are not indoctrinating students into Marxism or any other political ideology,” Selig said, according to the New Hampshire Bulletin. “As a former teacher, if I could indoctrinate my students, it would have been to shower and show up with their homework.”

Under the bill, educators would be barred from framing historical events “primarily as class, racial, or identity-based conflicts intended to foster division rather than resolution.” It also prohibits teaching that the U.S. Constitution or American institutions are inherently illegitimate or designed to perpetuate oppression. Teachers could also not affirm gender fluidity, nonbinary identities, or LGBTQ+ sexuality as ethical or normative.

While the legislation states that teaching historical events and encouraging debate or critical thinking would remain allowed, it limits how certain academic frameworks may be presented. Lessons on critical race theory and intersectionality would be permitted only if described as Marxian theories that run counter to American tradition, law, and ethics.

The enforcement mechanisms are among the most consequential aspects of the proposal. Teachers found in violation could face discipline under the educator code of conduct, including potential revocation of their credentials by the State Board of Education. In addition, individuals would be authorized to sue schools or districts for up to $10,000 per violation.

The measure comes two years after a federal judge struck down a 2021 New Hampshire law known by critics as the “divisive concepts” law. In May 2024, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro ruled the statute was unconstitutionally vague and in violation of the First Amendment. 

The CHARLIE Act was referred to the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday, setting up what is likely to be another contentious debate over the boundaries of classroom instruction.

Annie Jonas is a Community writer at Boston.com. She was previously a local editor at Patch and a freelancer at the Financial Times.