Jack Kingston: “Why are the Democrats trying to keep the status quo in public education? Are they so much in the pocket of the…”

“Why are the Democrats trying to keep the status quo in public education? Are they so much in the pocket of the Washington Teachers Union that they are willing to sacrifice America's children to educational mediocrity? As a public school graduate and the son and brother of teachers, I am appalled by this out-of-touch, deny-reality approach to education. Just because Washington bureaucrats do not want to improve public education does not mean that Congress should be afraid to tackle the job. Since my graduation from high school, SAT scores have fallen. Tests on an international basis show that Americans are behind German, Japanese, and British children, and private schools and charter schools are flourishing in popularity. Why? Because of local control. Because of less Washington bureaucrats. Not because of Washington redtape and all the status quo things that the Democrat Party seems so content to keep piling on, and piling on, on the teacher and her classroom. I say let us improve public education. Let us start by returning dollars not to the Washington bureaucracy but to the teacher in the classroom.”