Using public funds to market school vouchers is a stunning misuse of NC taxpayer dollars | Opinion
School vouchers
The writer is communications director at Public Schools First NC.
It is not surprising that N.C. private schools are seeing an enrollment boost over the past couple of years in part due to the Opportunity Scholarship voucher program. After all, starting with the 2021-23 budget, the state funded up to $500,000 per year to market the program to parents. That’s a big budget dedicated to marketing private school vouchers.
With the proposed voucher program expansion, taxpayers are being asked to fund the private and often discriminatory education for selected students. These public dollars should be going toward fully funding our public schools — community schools that serve all students and are led by elected school boards.
Using public funds to market voucher programs is a stunning misuse of taxpayer dollars, especially at a time when N.C. public schools have such an obvious need for more support.
Heather Koons, Raleigh
Public schools
The N.C. legislature continues to shift funds from the public schools to charter and private schools, many of which are religious-based schools. Forget the state constitutional mandate to provide a quality education to every student, and the demands of the Leandro case, which were ignored repeatedly.
If the state’s priority were to properly fund public schools, make classes smaller, hire more teachers/assistants, increase resources to public schools and incentivize teachers to go to underserved areas, they would address parents’ concerns about public schools and there would be far less need for other options. Educators and some N.C. Supreme Court members have pressed the legislature to do the right thing for a very long time.
Laura Stillman, Raleigh
Put country first
I once was a Republican and would like to become one again. But when the GOP reinvented itself as the Party of Trump, it became a magnet for a strange assortment of Trump-emulators, social media publicity-seekers, election-deniers and anti-government extremists, an unfortunate number of whom have been elected to public office. Our Congress has always included members too shallow to think and act beyond their own personal gratification. But Congress has also usually included a few true statesmen — men and women who put their country and fellow citizens above themselves. Surely there are such individuals on both sides of the aisle. It’s time for the adults in the room — the experienced, respected centrists — to join together and solve this problem.
John Dendy, Durham
Budget delay
The N.C. General Assembly left some major budget business undone and that neglect has an impact. The legislature continues to delay Medicaid expansion that would cover many who now lack medical insurance. Consequently, quiet tragedies are happening as early warning signs are missed because medical office visits are costly. After delaying treatment, it may be too late for help to be effective. Legislators, get to work, do the right thing and expand Medicaid coverage.
Deborah Brogden, Durham
Duke rate increase
The writer is a member of Third Act NC.
As Canadian wildfires burn and send dirty air to our state, and as much of the U.S. swelters under a heat dome, Duke Energy breezes along, oblivious to the crisis it has helped create. They would hike our rates by 17% by 2026 and want a profit margin over 10%. Worst of all, they want to continue the business-as-usual model that got us here in the first place: building new methane gas plants while putting the brakes on rooftop solar.
There is a public hearing at the Durham County Courthouse at 7 p.m. on Aug. 14, with a rally at 6 p.m. This is a chance for Duke Energy customers to tell the N.C. Utilities Commission to hold Duke accountable. Lower our rates and their profits, and put the brakes on dirty, expensive energy.
Cathy Buckley, Raleigh
Presidential race
I would like to urge readers to support the proposal to elect the president by a national popular vote in all 50 states. When we vote for every other office, the candidate who gets the most votes wins. It should be the same for president.
Bill Soular, Chapel Hill
