North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein just blocked students from getting a better education that wouldn’t cost their parents – or taxpayers – a dime.
Last week, Stein vetoed House Bill 87, the Educational Choice for Children Act. The bill would have allowed North Carolina families to participate in a brand-new federal program that rewards private donations to scholarship funds with a dollar-for-dollar federal tax credit of up to $1,700 per taxpayer.
Here’s how it works: private individuals and businesses donate to scholarship-granting organizations. Those organizations award scholarships to eligible students to cover tuition, tutoring, homeschooling expenses, transportation, or other educational needs. Families earning up to three times the local median income qualify, which means almost 90% of North Carolina K-12 students could be eligible.
Not one penny comes from the state budget and public schools keep every cent of their funding. And yet, the governor still said, “HB87 is unnecessary, and I veto it.”
Stein’s excuse for the veto? “Congress and the administration should strengthen our public schools, not hollow them out,” he said.
But public schools aren't the goal – educated kids are.
In Florida, the Tax Credit Scholarship program has helped low-income students make larger learning gains in reading and math while public schools improved alongside them.
Milwaukee’s voucher program showed similar results, with higher graduation rates and better academic outcomes for students in the city.
Arizona now offers every family an Education Savings Account that parents can use for a variety of educational expenses.
West Virginia’s Hope Scholarship has transformed learning for thousands of students, giving parents real authority over their child’s education.
These programs work with public schools, not against them, because competition drives quality, and the ultimate winners are children.
So why would Stein block something that costs the state nothing and helps families create better futures for their children? The answer lies in politics, not policy.
Stein is focused on the wrong thing – schools instead of kids. Teachers unions in North Carolina are some of the most powerful political forces in the state. They consistently back Democratic candidates, funnel millions into campaigns nationwide, and fiercely oppose the Educational Choice for Children Act.
Why? Because the program reduces their control over education funding and diminishes their political leverage. Stein’s veto aligns perfectly with union priorities, keeping families dependent on a one-size-fits-all system that serves adults in power, not kids in classrooms.
The harm is not abstract. It lands hardest on families in rural towns with struggling schools, parents in underserved urban neighborhoods, and those whose local public school is simply not the right fit for their child. For them, a scholarship could mean the difference between a child thriving or falling behind.
House Bill 87 was not just another policy proposal. It was a lifeline, a way for parents to say, “This is the school my child needs,” and have the means to make it happen. The governor’s veto ripped that choice away.
But there is still time to correct this mistake. Lawmakers can override the veto and they should. Republicans must stand united, and any Democrat who truly values parents over politics should join them. This is not a partisan issue. It’s a parental rights issue. If you believe parents, not bureaucrats, politicians, or special interest groups should decide where children learn, the path forward is clear – override the veto.
Every year that passes without more choice is another year when a child is told to “wait” for something better. But children only get one shot at their K-12 education. They cannot wait.
Stein made his choice. Now the General Assembly must make theirs. Choose parents. Choose students. Choose freedom in education.
Our kids’ futures are not up for political negotiation.
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