The stream went live and I had to go first. I said something to the tune of,
"I'm in it for me. We are paying twice (tax & tuition)-it's a bigger financial burden now that we are paying an online, nonreligious private tuition."
I meant to say, "I'm in it for my daughter." Oops. Too late now.
It was a webinar with Freedom Works to highlight varying perspectives during National School Choice Week. Newly elected US Congressman Byron Donalds brought his state lawmaker experience to the table, spotlighting the many Florida programs geared toward kids who needed alternatives to being bullied, or stuck with a low performing neighborhood school, or not having the money to attend a nearby private option. Why, Florida lawmakers have even implemented reading scholarships to help kids get on par with reading skills and helping with tutoring fees.
I started thinking about how North Carolina measures up. I'm afraid we do not stack up to Florida's seven K-12 scholarship programs. NC has three; the Opportunity Scholarship Program, Education Savings Account and the Disabilities Grant. Dig in to NC K12 Grants and start your application, as it could send a brighter, stronger and louder signal -demand is higher than supply. NC also has a 529 Program for a variety K-12 expenses.
Why don't North Carolinians lead the charge on school choice programs? Perhaps due to the loudmouthed "Unioninstas" and their indefatigable throwing arms, many tend to believe their false pitches about school choice programs segregating and siphoning, when in fact many minorities favor education alternatives beyond their zip codes and families -it turns out- are the ones who suffer from funds having been siphoned away to benefit a system, not a student.
A starting point in demanding change is picking up the phone and calling lawmakers (919-733-4111) to expand Education Saving Accounts to all. Taxpayers fund the massive government-run school system and it is time we demand education tax dollars be returned to the rightful beneficiaries: the students.