PRICE: Education stance doesn't hold up

After a decade chairing the Idaho Senate Education Committee and serving on the boards of the Coeur d’Alene School District and North Idaho College, I am deeply disturbed by a political ad I received on behalf of Representative Elaine Price.

The Texas-based political action group behind the ad claims Elaine supports President Trump’s education agenda. That claim does not necessarily match her record.

Consider just one example. In the last legislative session, Rep. Price voted against HB 907, which provided additional funding for Career Technical Education. CTE is a key part of President Trump’s education priorities — focused on equipping students with skills for high-demand jobs that don’t require a four-year degree. It is also a core mission of North Idaho College and essential to meeting the workforce needs of our local businesses.

While I believe in education choice, Rep. Price highlights her support for the Parental Choice Tax Credit. But there is no meaningful way to measure whether this program actually improves educational outcomes. The $50 million fund relies largely on a parent survey, while public schools — and many private schools — are held to objective standards and tested against established benchmarks.

Idaho voters deserve representation grounded in results, accountability, and honesty — not claims that don’t hold up under scrutiny. That’s why I support Christa Hazel for Idaho House, District 4B.

JOHN GOEDDE
Coeur d’Alene