Political Quotes

“I know what it is like to worry every day about how your child is doing in school. It must be terrible if your child is trapped in a school that is unsafe and unworkable; your daughter's sleepless nights become your own sleepless nights. Most parents with children in the D.C. public schools live under these intolerable conditions. D.C. Schools have received national attention. In spite of funding per student that ranks among one of the highest districts in the Nation, education in this district has reached crisis proportions. Decrepid school buildings are literally falling part. Just this year, a high school student interned in my office because opening day was delayed 3 weeks. The local news here is filled with stories of fire code violations, violence in schools, and failing test scores. The problem with D.C. schools is that the entire system is broken. It is not just a bad teacher or disorganized principal or leaking roof or unrestrained bully in fourth grade; it is all of these and more. Parents cannot just change their child's class or even their child's school. They simply cannot escape. And so, their children are trapped. Hopefully, the District will begin the long process of improvement. But, in the meantime, we need to give children a choice.”