In today’s Portsmouth Herald, Bill Kingston asks Sen. Stiles for an answer:

I would like to pass on an exchange I had with state Sen. Nancy Stiles’ office about her position on repeal of the voucher program. I wrote her a letter, saying that I was convinced the school voucher program was enacted in an atmosphere of extreme partisan politics and without the reflection that would have prevailed in a more normal time. I said I thought it was unwise legislation that would do considerable harm to our public school system in New Hampshire. I told her that my main concern was for the New Hampshire public education system, one of the best in the country, and asked her to “Please vote to correct this grave error.” Sen. Stiles’ legislative aide responded that, “Sen. Stiles does not believe it is the best practice for one legislature to pass a law and have the next legislature repeal legislation every other legislative session. Sen. Stiles said she would like to see data and results on the legislation now that the program has been implemented.”

One of the problems with the school voucher program is that there is no way to tell how good an education the children are getting. So, my question for Sen. Stiles would be, “What new data does she want to see in the future and would she really be willing to consider shutting down the program after it gets started?”

Bill Kingston

New Castle