Ken Calvert: “I attended public schools throughout elementary and high school. I care deeply about our public schools, and I strongly…”

“I attended public schools throughout elementary and high school. I care deeply about our public schools, and I strongly support some of the provision of H.R. 6. But, we should not pass this legislation to help public schools, if by doing so, we will violate the rights of those who wish to attend private or home schools. Mr. Chairman, it is a fundamental right of Americans to choose the type of education they want for themselves or their children--and we in this Congress have a sacred duty to protect this right. Our public schools are among the finest in the world--but, they have no monopoly on educational wisdom. Abraham Lincoln was a home schooler. John Kennedy attended private schools. So does Chelsea Clinton. Millions and millions of prominent and not-so-prominent Americans are being educated today at no cost to the taxpayers by parents who choose alternatives to the public schools. We ought to be doing everything we can to support these parents--not interfering with them. I urge my colleagues to support the Armey amendment to H.R. 6.”