Funding children, not institutions
A recent letter, “Bait, switch, repeat: NH school vouchers,” begins with a premise I reject: that education funding belongs to public schools rather than the children it is intended to educate.
The real question is simple: Who is responsible for a child’s education — the parents or the government? The answer should be the parents.
Education Freedom Accounts did not create school choice. New Hampshire has long trusted parents to decide how their children are educated. EFAs simply allow education funding to follow the child into the educational setting their parents lawfully choose.
I homeschool my two children. This year, each will receive about $4,000 through the EFA program — a fraction of public-school per-pupil spending. My son’s education includes leadership and character development through a karate academy. My daughter combines online academics with culinary training and the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps. Their education is tailored to their individual needs.
The claim that EFAs are “a transfer of public money into private hands” is inaccurate. Parents do not receive checks. Funds remain in restricted accounts and may only be spent on approved educational expenses after review, with accountability built into the program.
Families who choose public schools should continue to have that option. Families who choose another lawful educational path deserve the same respect. Educating children — not preserving institutions — is the funding’s purpose.