Sam Brownback: “I note at the outset we should not impose on the children of the District of Columbia what Members of the U.S. Senate…”

“I note at the outset we should not impose on the children of the District of Columbia what Members of the U.S. Senate are not willing to do. We did a survey of Members of the U.S. Senate to find out how many sent their children to the District of Columbia public schools. Of the 100 Members of the U.S. Senate, we were able to get ahold of 95 offices. We have not found an office yet that sends their children to the District of Columbia public schools. Should we require students whose families do not have the income to be able to either move to other schools or to go to private schools to stay in this public school system? I submit we should not. It is not fair to the kids. Listen to the statistics. These are just the facts. No. 1, 78 percent of the fourth grade students are below basic reading achievement levels in the District of Columbia. I chaired this subcommittee. I have held numerous hearings on this. I have gone to the schools. These are the facts. No. 2, 11 percent of the students in the D.C. public schools have avoided going to school for safety reasons. Fact No. 3, 11 percent of the students in the D.C. public schools report being threatened or injured with a weapon during the past school year. Fact No. 4, this amendment provides low-income students and their parents a choice, a choice they currently do not have under the D.C. public school system.”