Maxwell Frost: “if it is about the well-being of children, why have we not seen legislation that promotes the best possible public…”

“if it is about the well-being of children, why have we not seen legislation that promotes the best possible public education we can provide in this rich and affluent Nation of ours? Mr. Speaker, I can only guess that the Republican leadership believes that Democratic opposition to school vouchers is a good campaign issue. But I will state unequivocally that the education of the children of this country is not something that should be used to serve a political agenda. Public education is the cornerstone of this great country of ours, and I stand second to no one in my support and commitment to public education. The congressional Republican leadership can politicize the education of the boys and girls of this country all they want, but Democrats, as well as a good many Republicans, know that public education is good for our children and good for our country. This does not mean, Mr. Speaker, that there are not problems that all of us from the Congress to our Governors, school boards and every parent needs to face squarely, but this proposal does not address any of the problems we find in our public schools. In fact, the National Alliance of Black School Educators has said that this proposal constitutes an abandonment of the real issues that affect quality teaching and learning in the worst of our public schools. If the District of Columbia represents some of the worst of our public schools, then how can this Congress turn its back on its children?”