Pete Stark: “I am opposed to the Republican District of Columbia School Vouchers Act. It was brought to the floor on false logic and…”

“I am opposed to the Republican District of Columbia School Vouchers Act. It was brought to the floor on false logic and ignores the real problems in public education. Let's take the Republican argument at face value for a minute. If public schools in the District of Columbia are unable to educate our children, as my colleagues claim, is the solution to remove 2,000 of them and place them in private schools? What do we do for the 76,000 students left behind? In fact, these 76,000 will have to do with less funds available to help their education. It will cost $7 million to educate these 2,000 students in private schools--but this bill does not allow for additional funds to help the remaining children. How else could this $7 million be spent? The money could pay for after-school programs in each and every D.C. public school, 368 new boilers, could rewire 65 schools, upgrade plumbing in 102 schools, or buy 460,000 new textbooks. The people who live in the District of Columbia do not want this bill. The people of the District of Columbia did get the chance to vote on vouchers when the issue was placed on the ballot. It was defeated by a margin of eight to one. The residents of our host city do not deserve to be experiments for right-wing think tanks that promote ideas favored by the Christian Coalition and the religious right.”