Eleanor Holmes Norton: “The Speaker has said that, without this program, these children would have been in bad neighborhood schools. Well, I…”

“The Speaker has said that, without this program, these children would have been in bad neighborhood schools. Well, I think it must be noted that the District of Columbia has done more to make sure that those children are not trapped in such schools than any district I have yet read about or heard of. I have noted that 75 percent--that means the overwhelming number--of children stuck in neighborhood schools that they believe are not good schools go to the other side of town, if necessary, to a better school. Far from being trapped, they are encouraged to choose a better school. And I have also cited the 110 charter schools that increase their choices. And, Mr. Chairman, I want you to know that many of the voucher parents whom I have met with--after all, they are my constituents--have said to me that they tried to get into one of our charter schools, but the waiting lists were too long, which is why they went to the voucher schools. Now, isn't it interesting that the voucher schools have no waiting list, but the D.C. charter schools and many of our public schools have waiting lists, so much so that D.C. has had to combine the public schools and the charter schools on one list in a lottery so that families can choose which school to go to. How many Members on that side of the aisle have a lottery that lets the children, the parents, choose the best school for them to go to?…”