Political Quotes

“I came here to recognize and commend the great work of Senator Gregg and Senator Kennedy on crafting an IDEA bill. They produced a solid, thoughtful, bipartisan bill which protects the educational rights of children with special needs while at the same time making IDEA more workable for parents, teachers, school administrators, and school districts. I think we all agree IDEA was a great idea. It helped open doors for many children with special needs since it was enacted in 1975. Yet there is no question that significant problems exist. As I traveled through Missouri and talked with educators, teachers, administrators, parents, and school board members, I heard all kinds of problems with IDEA. Over the years, these teachers, principals, and administrators in Missouri have told me IDEA has become a morass of rules, of regulations and litigation that truly limit access and in some instances actually hinder learning--not just for children with disabilities but for all children. That is simply not acceptable. Educators are struggling under a crushing procedural and paperwork burden imposed by IDEA, contributing to what is becoming a chronic shortage of quality teachers in special education in Missouri and nationwide.”