Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, as all of us know, a free public education is a hallmark of our American society. It is, indeed, an essential ingredient in the foundation of our diverse, and, yes, inclusive democracy. The Gallegly amendment would seek to deny a number of our children the opportunity to go to a free public education system. Why? Because their parents made a choice on behalf of their children. But the children did not choose to be in the United States illegally. They do not deserve, therefore, to be punished for the actions of their parents. The assumption here, Mr. Chairman, is that there is a financial burden to the schools for having illegals in our system, but I would counter that the cost to us as a nation would be far greater by excluding these children from our schools. Schools would then assume a law enforcement burden that is both costly and counterproductive. These children will not leave the United States simply because they are not in school. They will be, as all of our speakers pointed out, on the streets, joining gangs, left at home alone, for there is a price to be paid in terms of community health and community well-being, not to mention the harm to the children themselves. Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to reject this mean-spirited attempt that will hold children responsible for their parents' actions. They are the innocent ones in this battle.”