Haley’s education policy receives praise from parents and students

This is a joint project between Nexstar Media Group and Syracuse University.

DERRY, N.H. (NEXSTAR) — Former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley has been rallying voters across New Hampshire leading up to primary day. One topic, in particular, is engaging some potential voters.

The former governor hosted events at diners, sporting events, and small businesses this past week. Now, she is tackling the issue of schools, and connecting with parents over the American education system.

New Hampshire parent Eddie Smith explains the significance of this issue. “It’s a really big issue for me,” Smith said. “I think that our education system has declined dramatically since I went to school.”

At a campaign event on Sunday at Gilbert H. Hood Middle School, Haley reiterated her education policy, and left a lasting impression on some voters, like New Hampshire resident Deborah Bailin.

“I think it’s important for parents to understand what it is that their children are being taught and to have kind of access to the curriculum,” Bailin added.

Haley’s education policy would call for full transparency in the classroom. This would include allowing parents to have more of a say and a role in their child’s education.

Additionally, Haley advocated for school choice, which would give students the opportunity to attend whatever school they want without additional costs since they would be given a voucher.

Haley also emphasized that schools should create assignments with free reign for students to express their opinions, rather than just having to agree with the given prompt.

High school student Elias Smith says he has experienced this in his own school. “There’s assignments where they say, ‘this is true’ when I don’t think that it’s necessarily as black and white as that,” Smith explained.

Haley expressed at numerous events that her main education goal is to get back to the basics, like reading, writing, and math.

Blythe Reis is a senior at Syracuse University studying Broadcast Journalism and Political Science and has reported for WAER. 

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