Esteban Torres: “I rise in strong opposition to the Rohrabacher and Roth amendments to H.R. 6, ``Improving America's Schools Act.'' None…”

“I rise in strong opposition to the Rohrabacher and Roth amendments to H.R. 6, ``Improving America's Schools Act.'' None of these proposed amendments would be anything to improve America's schools. In fact, these proposals would impose huge, unfunded Federal mandates on States and local school districts. These amendments would deprive thousands of educationally disadvantaged children of the services they so desperately need. The first Rohrabacher amendment would require every school, in order to be eligible for Federal education funding, to identify and collect data on the citizenship status of every student and his or her parents. This would not improve our schools. To the contrary it would only impose an unworkable, administrative nightmare on already overburdened school districts. The second Rohrabacher amendment goes even further by seeking to undermine constitutional principles. The amendment would undercut the 1982 Supreme Court decision in Plyler versus Doe, mandating States to provide public education to all children. The amendment would deny Federal funds to States, but still require States to provide all children with an education. The Roth amendments seek to severely weaken, and ultimately eliminate the title VII programs, which were passed by the bipartisan leadership of the Education and Labor Committee. These title VII programs are proven to be the best way to teach children with limited English proficiency English language skills.”