Kendrick Meek: “I wholeheartedly and strongly support the Moran amendment. It is a good substitute for the House bill. The House bill is…”

“I wholeheartedly and strongly support the Moran amendment. It is a good substitute for the House bill. The House bill is flawed and we know it. Much of what is in the House bill has an overriding concern behind it and it is money, m-o-n-e-y. It is what is drawing and flying through this country with the voucher movement. Do we not know, are we not sensible enough to know that if the Congress of the United States had not appropriated $7 million or more for this school voucher program here in Washington, D.C., the same people who are perpetuating it would have nothing to say about helping the kids in the District? We need to understand that the District is not a laboratory school for this Congress. The proponents do not know enough about education to even set up a laboratory school. We have not had a committee look at this, but the proponents want to attach it to an appropriation bill without any substance. The District deserves a thorough analysis before we change their school system. Bring to me one ounce of support that shows that the voucher system will improve on any current system in this country. I have been an educator for 42 years. Show me, instead of talking. I know that money drives the voucher. None of these private schools wanted the kids from my District five years ago.”