In response to letter-writer Ryan Bilodeau’s letter on the “fairness” of Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs): Only about 1,500 New Hampshire public school students have left for private schools, while the remaining 3,500 of the 5,000 students who’ve benefitted from EFAs were already in private schools or homeschooled. These families had already made their educational choice, just as the 160,000 public school students made theirs by staying in their communities and attending public schools. Additionally, Mr. Bilodeau is not only a theology teacher at Bishop Brady High School, but he also owns Church Bell Communications, a marketing firm for Catholic schools and other businesses. This gives him a vested interest in expanding EFAs, which primarily benefit private schools and homeschooling. It’s important to recognize that universal EFAs come at a high cost to taxpayers. The program is estimated to cost over $100,000,000, and local property taxpayers will bear the burden. Lawmakers continue to divert tax dollars to fund private education for a select few instead of meeting their obligations to adequately fund quality public education for all of New Hampshire’s public school students. True fairness means ensuring every child, regardless of income, has equal access to quality education. Public schools are not “bureaucracies,” as Mr. Bilodeau suggests — they are the heart of our communities. We should invest in them, not drain resources for a program that primarily benefits a few.

Kathleen Malsbenden

Newmarket