Rep. Richard Littlefield: Freedom of choice in education creates well-rounded students

To The Daily Sun,

I thank Steven Dionne for reminding readers that I champion education and common-sense solutions that will make schools better, as well as mentally and emotionally safer.

I voted in favor of education freedom accounts not knowing if 10, 20 or 30 families would sign onto this program. As it turns out, approximately 2,000 families signed on.

Education freedom accounts allow families to mold adequate and appropriate educations for their children.

This program pays for tutoring, computers, curriculums, books, supplies and uniforms.

Most importantly, this program allows parents to choose an environment that makes learning easier for their children whether that be at home, private school, parochial and other alternative institutions of higher learning.

Fact is, government schools are not the only places where children can learn and attain success in education. In fact, for some, learning outside of the chaos-filled environment of public school is the only way they can truly succeed.

Taxpaying families in Laconia pay nearly $18,000 a year to send their children to public schools that fail to provide exemplary educations to all students.

Education freedom accounts allow families to provide educations for $13,000 less in environments that ease students' minds and open up doors to possibilities outside of what can be offered at public school.

Not everyone believes that EFAs are a good thing for the public school system, but I believe that this program provides the competition public schools need to get back on track and clean up the glaring deficiencies we see today.

Public school systems need to earn back the trust of parents, and the students the system let fall through the cracks.

Rep. Richard Littlefield

Laconia