Judith Ackerson: Wondering why schools would decline COVID relief funding

To The Daily Sun,

Gov. Sununu stated during a March 9, NH Exchange interview that there are schools that haven't taken COVID relief money. He's begging them to do so. His exact words can be found on the recorded interview online.

I have sent an email to the governor’s office asking for facts, clarification on which schools have refused COVID relief money and why. I know that our Franklin school system is grateful for and working with their share of the funds. Schools need to report the expenses that qualify as they expend them and parameters placed upon them by the federal government must be followed.

Does he mean that some schools have actually refused the funds or have they just not taken it yet because they are still formulating a plan in their community for how best to use it? I know that some funds expire in September 2022, and some in September 2023.

Also during the interview Gov. Sununu emphatically stated that he is fine with sending taxpayer money to private schools. He doesn’t care where kids go to school (paraphrasing, listen to the recording for exact wording) as long as they get a good education. Shouldn’t our governor be putting more into the public schools so they can provide the quality of education that only “some” non-public schools provide rather that giving it to educational institutions or homeschoolers that have no oversight?

I eagerly await a response from Gov. Sununu’s office.

Judith Ackerson

Franklin