Lynn C. Woolsey: “this Labor-HHS appropriations bill makes me believe that some of my colleagues in the majority party would benefit from…”

“this Labor-HHS appropriations bill makes me believe that some of my colleagues in the majority party would benefit from spending time back in the classroom. The numbers in this appropriations bill simply do not add up. From Head Start through higher education and into the workplace, this bill shortchanges the vast majority of Americans. I am most concerned about the damage done to American school children in this bill. The funds for education do not make the grade. Those of us who have done our homework know that overcrowded classrooms are one of the biggest obstacles to improving education for our children. What parents and teachers already know is that smaller class size makes for better learning experiences and results in better grades. In fact, even the very Republican governor of my home State of California has made smaller classes a priority in our State. But it costs money, Mr. Speaker. It costs money to reduce class size, because smaller classes mean more training and more teachers that need to be hired. Smaller classes mean building more classrooms. This bill does nothing to help schools reduce class size. It cheats our students out of funds they need to get a good education. It deserves to fail.”