Political Quotes

“given the rather fractious debate we have had this evening with regard to how we educate our kids in this Nation, I think we would all do well to return to a basic principle, a principle best articulated by Thomas Jefferson when he wrote that every child must be encouraged to get as much education as she has the ability to take. We want this not only for her sake, but for the Nation's sake. Mr. Chairman, Jefferson did not use the words, ``a few,'' or ``several,'' or even ``many.'' He used the word ``every,'' every child, Mr. Chairman. Charter schools, and I must applaud the leadership of the gentleman from Indiana [Mr. Roemer] and his hard work in certainly reaching across the aisle to attract bipartisan support. Charter schools provide these opportunities. They are public schools, Mr. Chairman, schools accountable to public authorities but with the kind of local level autonomy that spurs innovation and excellence. Charter schools are part of a common sense solution to some of the problems facing and confronting parents and teachers and communities in America. They are not a panacea for all that ails our school system, for they will not solve our $112 billion infrastructure problem, the technology gap, or the resolve, the standards issue, but they do represent a very important step toward improvement. At the same time, Mr. Chairman, we cannot allow our zeal for change to overtake our common sense.”