It’s been another successful year. My wife has educated our three children at home. We have saved the taxpayers another $30,000 and given our kids the finest education money couldn’t buy.

In a News-Times “Soundoff” column, someone stated that education is the most important thing. There’s air, water, food, love, heat, shelter, clothes, safety and a long list of more important items. But education is important, if a person is learning what is good for them and teachers are avoiding false and unproven theory, including the humanist manifesto of the government schools.

There is far more to helping a child than free schools. Attaining the basics and a stable home is a greater help. Our society could do no better than concede freedom for parents to provide. Our livelihood shouldn’t be so taxed for the desires of the national educators’ union. I know of a few families displaced due to taxes, a lion’s share going to the public schools.

Parents are by far the best educators. Don’t think for a moment that some other entity can do as well. Parents have the responsibility, not the government. And if you think the population was uneducated prior to the government getting involved, then check out The Federalist Papers. It was reading material for the average Joe a few years back.

So, let’s ease up on the constant pressure to require more of our hard earned pay to go to the educational system, for the children’s sake.

Scott Vanderlinden

Principal, Lindenwood Academy

Oak Harbor