Episode 72 "Claremont III" - Steve Rand Steps into the Breach

"Claremont III" Steve Rand Steps into the Breach

Steve Rand is not what one might describe as an educational zealot or a fellow who tilts at windmills.  His family is about as steeped in tradition within the town of Plymouth as it gets. He took over the family business in Plymouth from his dad and, despite Walmart, the migration of business away from the town center, and all the odds, Rand’s Hardware continues to thrive on the main street in Plymouth. He is a blend of pragmatic Yankee and street-smart entrepreneur. But behind that wry smile lies a philosopher and a visionary; a man who wants to “leave the woodpile just a little higher” when his days are done. 

So when the opportunity arose for him to be a plaintiff in New Hampshire’s ongoing litigation over educational funding he did not hesitate. The lawsuit, we’ll call it Claremont 3, though, to my knowledge, no moniker has yet been assigned to it - may be the culmination of more than 3 decades of legal action (and political inaction) based on the New Hampshire constitutional obligation to provide funding for an adequate education to all public school children.

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I wanted to speak with Steve Rand, not because he can recite chapter and verse about the legal history of the Claremont cases or the numeric minutia of tax disparities between towns or their relationship to the quality of schools from high-income or low-income school districts. Rather, I wanted to speak with someone who came at this from an experiential basis; someone who has lived the disparities on a day-to-day and year-to-year basis. Someone who has seen how the system short-changes our kids and our communities.

There are many heroes in the long arc of this story. The late Arpiar Saunders, who (perhaps purposefully) cornered Andru Volinsky, stark naked, in the gym locker room to recruit him to the Claremont team. Andru Volinsky of course. John Tobin, who has spent his life advocating for those living in the shadows of life. Senate President Ralph Hough (R-Lebanon) who despite being named as a defendant in the second suit, filed an Amicus brief and testified on behalf of the children of New Hampshire against the state. 

Today, Steve Rand and the other plaintiffs have stepped into that line. But, they would all be the first to say that the greatest heroes of this story are the good people of towns like Claremont, Berlin, Plymouth, Rochester, to name a few towns, who despite having to dig four to five times deeper into their own pockets to fund education in their communities, continue to step up for their kids, to make sure that they have a shot at a future worth living. 

A procedural history of the Claremont lawsuit

Staff WriterPortsmouth Herald

https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/2003/04/09/a-procedural-history-claremont-lawsuit/51281033007/

30 Years Since Claremont: The Monumental Ruling and the Work That Remains

ANDRU VOLINSKY

https://indepthnh.org/2021/06/15/30-years-since-claremont-the-monumental-ruling-and-the-work-that-remains/

Nebraska Law Review

2005 New Hampshire 's Education-Funding Litigation: Claremont School District v. Governor, 635 A.2d 1375 (N.H. 1993),modified, 703 A.2d 1353 (N.H. 1997) 

Andru H. Volinsky Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer and Nelson, P.A., avolinsky@bernsteinshur.com

https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1281&context=nlr

EP 71 Carved in Granite: Author Jeremy Osgood

 

 

 

Carved in Granite - Jeremy Osgood author

Historic Fiction

osgoodjeremy@gmail.com

 

 

Jeremy Osgood grew up in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire, a small New England town in the lakes' region, affectionately known as "the oldest summer resort in America". With the picturesque setting as the perfect backdrop, he developed a love for the outdoors, photography, and writing. He combined his passions with a photoblog called Wolfeboro Chronicle while working in town as a real estate agent and basketball coach.

 

Some of his earlier influences included his time out west where he earned a Bachelors Degree in Environmental Conservation and Political Science at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He spent six years working with National Geographic Maps as the Eastern Sales and Support Manager and eight years selling real estate while coaching basketball at various levels during that time. Currently, he owns and operates Jeremy Osgood Photography.

 

Fun Fact Jeremy thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail end-to-end in 1997. He hiked 2,180 miles in five months and proposed to his high school sweetheart at the trail's end.

 

When not taking photographs, or writing, he enjoys spending time with his wife, two daughters, and their rescue dogs near their Nashville, TN home.

 

Why writing and photography? “I find inspiration from the natural world: the people from all walks of life, the landscapes that make you feel insignificant and the assortment of creatures, big and small, we share the planet with. And every once in a while, when the time is right and the light is just so...magic happens.  I try and find the essence of my subject and capture it for a brief second. Not to hoard it, but to let it shine bright, and maybe give off a little inspiration to someone else.“ 

 

My prints are available in high resolution with sizes and products carefully selected to ensure a quality finish. Images are available for commercial, marketing, advertising, media, or other projects.   You can also order prints and wall art, with an assortment of options, directly from the gallery and it will be fulfilled by a professional print lab and drop shipped to your door.

 

 

 

https://www.jeremyosgoodphotography.com/

 

 

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EP 70 Congressman Dick Swett:: Civility, Vision, and Honor Matter

 Congressman Dick Swett:: Civility, Vision, and Honor Matter

In an era where civility is a rare commodity, recalling the way that Dick Swett conducted himself as a US Congressman and later as an Ambassador to Denmark is a reminder that civility, humility and conscience are still honorable and - perhaps even possible again.

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Dick was elected to the second congressional district seat in congress in 1990 and in 92 he was handily re-elected for another term.

 

The turning point of Dick's political fortunes came in 1994 with the successful passage of the assault weapons ban. Despite the danger to his own career, Dick voted for the measure and it became law. He lost his reelection bid by less than a percentage point.  FOLLOWING ON THE HEELS of the ban,  there was a decline in gun violence but when the ban was not extended under George W. Bush we reverted to the status quo ante and we all know what that has looked like for our country.

 

In 1998 he was named Ambassador to Denmark by President Bill Clinton a post he held until 2001.

 

In this podcast I speak with Dick Swett about his political journey and his life journey since his act of courage led to the passage of the (temporary) assault weapons ban in 1994 and his razor close loss, fueled by the NRA, in the subsequent election.

 

 

 

 

From Dick to FB friends.

Saw this great quote tonight:

"The person who cannot listen to an argument which opposes his or her views either has a weak position or is a weak defender of it. No opinion that cannot stand discussion or criticism is worth holding. And it has been wisely said that the person who knows only half of any question is worse off than the person who knows nothing of it. He or she are not only one sided, but their partisanship soon turns them into an intolerant and a fanatic. In general it is true that nothing which cannot stand up under discussion and criticism is worth defending."

Elder James E. Talmage

 

 

Richard Swett. Richard Nelson Swett (born May 1, 1957) is an American politician from the U.S. state of New Hampshire who served as the U.S. representative for New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district from 1991 to 1995. He also served as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark from 1998 to 2001.

 

 

Richard N. Swett

Ambassador to Denmark

Richard Swett was nominated by President Clinton to be U.S. Ambassador to Denmark on April 2, 1998 and was confirmed by the Senate on July 31, 1998.

In 1990, Richard N. Swett was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives 2nd Congressional District of New Hampshire. In Congress, he served as a member of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation; a member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology; and a member of the Congressional Delegation for Relations with the European Parliament and the Congressional Human Rights Caucus. Congressman Swett co-authored the landmark Congressional Accountability Act. He also authored the Transportation for Livable Communities Act and introduced bills to encourage energy conservation and use of renewable energy. In 1996, after winning a primary contest, Congressman Swett was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate. He was narrowly defeated in the general election.

In the private sector, Congressman Swett's range of business experience encompasses architectural design, project management, corporate management, project development, and finance. He has been active in real estate design and development, alternate energy development, energy conservation, industrial development, and export promotion. For several years he has operated a consulting firm doing business in the United States and eastern and central Europe. He is a licensed architect in California and New Hampshire.

Congressman Swett is a member of the American Institute of Architects, is the state Chair of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and is involved in various other civic organizations. He is also a contributing author to the book, A Nation Reconstructed: A Quest for the Cities That Can Be, and had numerous articles published as a Member of Congress.

Congressman Swett was born on May 1, 1957, in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania. He received a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture in 1979 from Yale University. The U. S. Junior Chamber of Commerce named Congressman Swett one of the Ten Outstanding Young Americans in 1993. He was also named one of the Ten Most Influential People in New Hampshire by New Hampshire Business Magazine that same year. He has been awarded the Presidential Citation by the American Institute of Architects, as well as numerous honorary degrees including an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Franklin Pierce College in Ringe, New Hampshire. He received the National Award from the Residential Caregivers Association for work on behalf of residential care facilities throughout the United States. The American Legion awarded him the National Economic Commission Citation of Appreciation.

 

 

 

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Climate Prosperity Enterprise Solutions (CPES) is a community-focused development firm working to create sustainable local economies through an innovative wealth creation model.