I have been disappointed to read about efforts to offer vouchers, or tax credits, to parents who wish to pull their children out of public school, including the Feb 13 item "Stam: Don't call them vouchers."

Call them what you will, giving parents a rebate on their taxes if they choose not to use the public schools is short-sighted and irresponsible. Our public school system is a community resource - a critical piece of infrastructure that ensures a strong and healthy work force and makes North Carolina a vibrant, attractive place to live and do business. We are all responsible for supporting and maintaining that resource, because we all benefit from it, regardless of whether we currently have a child in the system.

In addition, the low level of the tax credit ($2,500) means that only wealthier parents will be able to take advantage of this new option, because good private schools cost far more than $2,500 a year. There is certainly something to be said for choice in education, but this kind of choice would discriminate against low-income children. Let's instead invest our resources in improving public schools to ensure that all of our children can succeed.