08/25/2026
Park will put Public Schools first for NC House District 96 (the northern half of Catawba Co., including Hickory).
Vote Park for NC House 96!
Today is the first day of school for most students in Catawba County. 🎒
I’m thinking about the students, parents, and teachers navigating a new school year. Yesterday, I spoke with the mom of a child with autism. She’s spent years fighting — meeting after meeting — to get her son the support he’s legally entitled to. It hasn’t been easy. But she’s never had to fight for a seat.
Private schools that take our tax dollars through vouchers can pick and choose who walks through their doors. They can turn away kids with disabilities, kids who need extra support, kids who don’t fit their mold. Public schools ensure every child gets a seat, every time.
Last year alone, private schools in Catawba County took in $10.2 million in taxpayer-funded vouchers. Since 2014, that’s $27+ million. Money that could be going toward the aides, therapists, and support staff that families like hers depend on.
On a day like today, that matters. I’m running for State Representative to close the voucher loophole and bring that funding back to the schools that never turn a child away.
