Political Quotes

“I rise today in staunch opposition to H.R. 800, the ``Education Flexibility Partnership Act of 1999.'' As a former teacher, forever parent of two children who graduated from the State of Michigan's public schools, and current grandmother of four beautiful boys, I am personally and professionally invested toward excellent public schools for all Americans. Like most of my colleagues, I support flexibility in the administration of Federal education programs. I do not support flexibility in the administration of these programs, if this flexibility results in inadequate accountability of taxpayer's dollars or an erosion of our fiscal commitment to our Nation's poorest students and school districts. H.R. 800, in its current form, provides inadequate accountability to ensure that there is accurate, valid and reliable reporting. It would also allow States to abandon the mission of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), which is to serve our poorest schools and children first. This waste of taxpayer dollars and the abandonment of our poorest children is something that I, and most thinking Americans, should not tolerate.”