Janice Schakowsky: “Last September, I toured Daniel Boone School in Chicago to see firsthand its overcrowded conditions. Boone School has an…”

“Last September, I toured Daniel Boone School in Chicago to see firsthand its overcrowded conditions. Boone School has an enrollment of 1,100 students, 300 more than the school can reasonably accommodate. Classes were being held in hallways, and students were learning in makeshift classrooms like the teachers' lounge and cafeteria. Three different classes were being taught in the same room at the same time. Last week, I returned to Boone School; and I am sad to report that nothing has changed. Classes are still being held in hallways and teachers' lounges. But what moved me most was the seventh grade girl who stood up and looked me in the eye and said, 'You came last September, how come nothing is changed; and when will we see improvements in our school.' That is a legitimate and tough question. Boone School, however, is not alone. Eighty-nine percent of Illinois schools are in need of repair, rebuilding, or upgrade. How can we expect to deliver the best quality education to our students when they are learning about gravity from falling ceiling tiles. It is just unacceptable to send our children to 19th century schools when we go into the 21st century. Yesterday, a study released by the NEA shows that it costs $322 billion to repair and modernize American schools. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 4094, America's Better Classroom Act of 2000.”