My question of the day. How can state legislators refuse to increase per pupil funding for public schools from roughly $4300 because “we can’t afford it” but, then, provide school vouchers which, according to the articles in the Monitor, average $5200 per student? There are many reasons why one size fits all education doesn’t work for every child but we’re allowing parents to purchase computers, ski passes, summer day camps, dance lessons, etc. — which aren’t offered to public schools’ students.

I’m sure there are working parents who would love to send their kids to summer camp without spending a fortune or go skiing with their kids and not pay hundreds of dollars on their pass. I know any of these expenses can be justified as “physical education,” but these children can participate in public school extracurricular activities. They can join a sports team, drama club, band, debate team or any other activity. These may be the exceptions, but the list I saw in the paper makes me wonder who’s monitoring these funds. Amazon was one of the largest recipients of EFA funds. Were all of the purchases education-related?

I don’t agree with funding Education Freedom accounts. Our public schools need/should be properly funded. Families that don’t want their children in public school should pay for these private expenditures without public assistance. What we are doing is transferring $5,000 from public funds to them tax-free.

Thomas Kolling

Concord