New Hampshire House Republicans have advanced a sweeping education bill that would restrict how public schools teach about race, history, gender identity, and sexuality — reviving a debate that previously led to a federal court ruling against the state.
On Thursday, the Republican-controlled House passed House Bill 1792, known as the “Countering Hate And Revolutionary Leftist Indoctrination in Education Act,” or the CHARLIE Act — an acronym drawn from its full title and named after conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September.
The bill seeks to prohibit what it describes as “indoctrination” involving “critical theories or related practices that promote division, dialectical world-views, critical consciousness or anti-constitutional indoctrination.”
Speaking on the House floor, Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) argued that ideological instruction is occurring in classrooms funded by taxpayers.
“Children are being subjected to critical race theory and radical gender ideology, not as mere topics of discussion, but as doctrine,” Osborne said.
Democrats strongly rejected that characterization. Rep. Loren Selig (D-Durham), a former teacher, dismissed claims of widespread indoctrination.
“Teachers in New Hampshire are not indoctrinating students into Marxism or any other political ideology,” Selig said, warning that the legislation would stifle classroom discussion and invite costly legal challenges.
The bill passed 184-164, largely along party lines, with four Republicans joining Democrats in opposition. It now heads to the state Senate.
The CHARLIE Act follows a similar 2021 law — dubbed the “divisive concepts” law by critics — that was struck down in 2024 by U.S. District Court Judge Paul Barbadoro. He ruled the earlier statute was unconstitutionally vague and could cause teachers to self-censor. The state has appealed that decision, but the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals has not yet issued a ruling.
Unlike the 2021 law, which prohibited endorsement of specific “concepts,” the new bill targets broader ideological frameworks. It would bar public schools and employees from engaging in what it calls the “pedagogy, praxis, or inculcation” of certain worldviews.
Under the bill, teachers could not frame historical events primarily as identity-based conflicts intended to foster division. Instruction suggesting that the U.S. Constitution or American institutions are inherently oppressive would also be prohibited. The legislation further bans school staff from “inculcating LGBTQ+ ideology,” including requiring affirmation of gender fluidity or nonbinary identities as normative.
While the bill permits discussion of historical events and encourages debate and critical thinking, it limits the presentation of critical race theory and intersectionality to contexts describing them as “Marxian theories contrary to American tradition, law, and ethics.”
Enforcement mechanisms are significant. Teachers found in violation could face disciplinary action, including possible revocation of teaching credentials. The bill also creates a private right of action, allowing individuals to sue school districts for up to $10,000 per violation.
Supporters say the measure promotes patriotic education and restores ideological neutrality in public schools. Critics argue its language is overly abstract, raising constitutional concerns similar to those that doomed the previous law.
Rep. Matt Coker (R-Meredith), one of the Republicans who opposed the bill, warned against legislating ideology.
“We criticized the left when they were doing this, and now we’re trying to do this,” Coker said. “I’m not going to replace ‘left woke’ with ‘right woke.’”
