Political Quotes

“I have long believed that education is handled best at the local level with the support of parents and the community. States, parents, and the local community know what is best for their students. Repeatedly, this body has considered legislation which attempts to extend the Federal control of education, and today we are debating legislation that is extending that authority to private, parochial, and home schools. Requiring certification of the teachers of those schools infringes upon the autonomy of their institutions. Education is constitutionally reserved to the States and is not an area within Federal jurisdiction. We have no right to mandate that States require the certification of schools not within the public system. States have recognized that fact and not one State requires that home school teachers be certified. While it may not have been the committee's intention to include home-schoolers in the certification requirements, it is necessary that the language contained in the Armey amendment be adopted so that it will be made very clear that the Federal Government will not intervene in, or have control over private, parochial, and home schools. Their independence must be preserved and it is incumbent upon my colleagues to support the Armey amendment and guarantee that the long arm of the Federal Government will not reach into the non-public school systems. I urge my colleagues to vote for the Armey amendment to clarify the intentions of this body.”