To the Editor:

"Contrary to what has recently been published in the paper, the district has already cut one administrator, eight teaching positions and eight support staff positions in the past two years." - School Board member Philip Pancoast, in a statement to the Goffstown News this November

We've heard similar claims from a number of sources during this year's budget cycle.  Is it true?  A compilation of statistics reported by the district over the past several years shows that the number of teachers has actually increased every year.  Meanwhile, enrollment has been decreasing.

Private schools would have to increase tuition to sustain this sort of trending--government schools increase taxes instead. In both cases, parents can respond by taking their money elsewhere.  The difference is that while finding a new private school may be a nuisance, finding a new town to live in is significantly more disruptive. 

Of course, voucher programs solve the problem of being forcibly tied to the public schools of the district you happen to live in.  A question for parents in Goffstown: would you be pleased to be given a scholarship of $10,000 per child, to be used at any public or private school of your choosing?  Even if you would pick Goffstown's schools, wouldn't it provide peace of mind to know that such an option is available?

Paul Augros
Goffstown