Open enrollment for military familiesRay Nothstine drew from an impressive base of knowledge, some of it acquired from personal experience, in explaining why having a choice of school would help many military parents find good schools for their children (“School choice for military families long overdue,” April 8). Another point worth making is that the federal government has the clear Constitutional authority (“provide for the Common defense”) to fund school-choice vouchers or scholarships for its military families. In contrast, many legal scholars believe federally funded vouchers for the general school population lack Constitutional justification and could have the effect of intruding on local control of education.It is astounding that North Carolina and a good number of other states refuse to allow military families (or non-military ones, for that matter) to have the benefit of open enrollment, which merely allows children to cross school-district lines in quest of the best available schools. Inter-district choice would particularly benefit military personnel who often have to expand their school searches as a result of frequent relocations of family as they serve their fellow Americans.Robert HollandThe Heartland Institute Arlington Heights, Ill.
LETTER: Open enrollment for military families
