Lynn C. Woolsey: “I say to all my colleagues that public education is the backbone of our country. Let us not forget that. It is why we…”

“I say to all my colleagues that public education is the backbone of our country. Let us not forget that. It is why we are a great Nation. Public education is available to all. It does not discriminate, and it must be strengthened, not weakened. Yet this bill before us today will do just that. It profoundly harms our public schools. This bill makes it easier for a chosen few, and the word is few, to go to private schools, schools that self-select their student body, schools that have no responsibility to special education and no concern for students with unique educational needs. This is not acceptable. I am proud to speak for public education in America. Sure, it is not perfect, but the solution to any problems of our public school system will not be solved by providing vouchers to a few chosen children. The solution is to fix our public schools so that all families would choose public education unless they choose to go to a religious school that they would pay the tuition from their family. S. 1502 hurts our kids, hurts our schools and our country, and it must be defeated.”