Op-Ed: School Family Pens Letter On SB 130

Press release from The Shaw Family:

March 22, 2021

Open letter to Senator Ricciardi

Dear Senator Ricciardi,

Thank you for all the work you are doing to advocate for families, such as mine, with SB130, the Education Freedom Accounts. Thank you for seeing the value in this bill and all that it can do to help our states children and families who need school choice.

4 years ago, I made a tough decision. My daughter was attending a private kindergarten which we loved, but due to our lack of income and my child’s identified special needs, I felt the best thing to do was to have her attend public school so she could get the support she needs to thrive. Boy, was I wrong! Instead of supports and services, my daughter fell quickly through the cracks. Her behaviors worsened, her educational progress declined immensely, and our home life was flipped upside-down. I spent the entire school year fighting for the support I knew she needed. They put her in serious potential harm.

After two years in the public school and all the stress that came with it, I was at a loss for what to do. I spent ALL my energy taking her to the private services that the school failed to provide so she had a fighting chance of a thriving future. I was told by someone close to me that maybe I should stop all the services I was taking them to and let the school watch as she fell more and more behind so they could finally see what was needed? I truly considered it at one point, but I was not willing to risk my child’s future. One day at a Christmas party I met a single mother, she sent her son to a private school so I just went for it and asked her how she could afford it!? That conversation changed our entire lives.

This past year I stood in line, in the cold, with my 5 year old, as I waited for the mobile food pantry to open. I spent hours applying for scholarships and for assistance with other needs so that I could budget accordingly. I had to beg, borrow, and be creative to keep meet our family’s basic needs while giving my children the education they needed to thrive. And I wouldn’t change a thing, it was all worth it to see the difference that school made for my children.

What would SB130 do for my family? It would help us give my girls the education that meets their unique needs and take a small load off our financial plate. It would relieve time and stress I currently spend trying to meet our basic needs. It would decrease my anxiety as I struggle to figure out how to pay the bills each month. The positive impact would overflow within our lives. Most of all, it would help more families like mine who cannot afford to give their children the education they need.

Public School is a wonderful option for some, and some school districts are better than others, but it is not the best fit for all families. Trust me when I say I really miss the days of public transportation and free breakfast/lunch, but the sacrifice is worth it. I hope on Thursday the Senate can see the importance of this issue as you and I do. I know the backlash you are getting from the opposition, but as John Ashcraft once said, “Doing what is right in the face of adversity is not always easy or popular. Critics may assault you, but the critics don’t always realize what they don’t know or understand, because they don’t have access to all the information.”

Please know that we appreciate all you are doing, and the impact you are making for the future of our children.

Sincerely,

The Shaw Family

This press release was produced by The Shaw Family. The views expressed here are the author's own.