04 Aug 2025 Torrey Snow: Why Wes Moore Must Opt in to Federal School Choice Program

In a commentary published at The Baltimore Sun, one of our newest Project 21 ambassadors, Torrey Snow, urges Maryland Governor Wes Moore to show his appreciation for his own private school upbringing by opting the state into one of the provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill:

The bill allows every taxpayer to claim an up to $1,700 nonrefundable federal tax credit, directly reducing their tax bill dollar-for-dollar, if they make donations to Scholarship Granting Organizations. These organizations must use these contributions to grant scholarships to K-12 students from families with limited means, helping them on their educational journey. This is a slam-dunk policy for families, especially those in the lower and middle classes desperate to improve their children’s economic mobility.

Read Torrey’s entire commentary below.

Maryland Governor Wes Moore has no moral choice but to immediately opt Maryland into a life-changing federal program that could guide thousands of Maryland youths to a brighter future like his own. The passage of President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act invited howls of despair from progressives and conservatives alike, with apocalyptic doomsaying over the bill’s many impacts. However, one provision should earn the unanimous support of every American.

Torrey Snow

The bill allows every taxpayer to claim an up to $1,700 nonrefundable federal tax credit, directly reducing their tax bill dollar-for-dollar, if they make donations to Scholarship Granting Organizations. These organizations must use these contributions to grant scholarships to K-12 students from families with limited means, helping them on their educational journey. This is a slam-dunk policy for families, especially those in the lower and middle classes desperate to improve their children’s economic mobility.

Gov. Moore has spoken (and written) at length about how his life was profoundly impacted by his mother’s bold decision to enroll him in Valley Forge Military Academy. Annual tuition at this prestigious institution rises into the tens of thousands. Moore’s mother worked several jobs, family members chipped in, and an entire community rallied to blaze an impossible path for the governor, culminating in his swearing-in as Maryland’s 63rd governor, with the prestigious distinction of being Maryland’s first Black governor.

Moore’s hesitation to embrace this provision of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act seems surprising given the sacrifices his family made to change his life’s trajectory. If he fully appreciates the immeasurable sacrifices of those who love him most, it’s hard to understand why he wouldn’t extend this same opportunity to Maryland’s youth. Does his vision of “leaving no one behind” not include empowering families to access the same transformative education he received?

A governor committed to “leaving no one behind” would leap at the chance to give Maryland residents a way to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our youth. This provision empowers every Maryland household to contribute to a lifeline for students, fostering futures like Moore’s own. Residents could feel good about giving to organizations that actively engage with them to showcase the powerful impact of their investment.

Some critics, like agenda-oriented lobbying groups, worry this program could divert funds from public schools, insisting help for struggling students must come solely from government reforms. But this provision complements public education by empowering families directly, giving students access to opportunities that best fit their needs. Our politically calculating governor hesitates, fearing pushback from a weakening but notoriously vocal lobby.

Marylanders are already frustrated, buckling under fiscal mismanagement — skyrocketing vehicle registration fees, higher taxes and rising costs from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Moore should heed residents who want a stable economy and give them a chance to directly support their communities’ youth.

Gov. Moore must make the only moral choice. He must set aside politics and opt Maryland into the bill’s school choice provision. He should act swiftly to announce Maryland’s opt-in by the end of 2025, ensuring our youth can access these scholarships when the program begins in 2027. Fame, politics and popularity can blind even the most principled. Perhaps he should sit down with those who sacrificed for him to reflect on their efforts. In doing so, he could not morally justify any hesitation. Opting in makes us all stakeholders in the education of our future — that’s how you “leave no one behind.”

Project 21 Ambassador Torrey Snow serves as the national clergy director for the Center for Urban Renewal and Education. He is a former talk radio host who lives in Anne Arundel County and is the founder and host of the “Snow in the Know” podcast. This was first published by The Baltimore Sun.