Political Quotes

“as a member of the Constitution Caucus, I am convinced that today, at a time when our Nation lags behind other countries in math and science testing and the Federal Government has a larger role in education than ever before, this Congress must find a way to give our schools greater flexibility, reduce the bureaucracy involved in education, and ensure these opportunities really are being given to our children. In years past Congress has attempted to solve problems in education by simply throwing piles of Federal money into the education system. The original purpose of No Child Left Behind was to return some education policymaking authority to the States. Unfortunately, during the process of crafting, passing, and enacting this legislation, No Child Left Behind took the form of a massive spending bill that increased the Federal Government's presence in classrooms. As a December 22, 2006 editorial in the Detroit News stated, ``What our Federal legislators come up with in the Nation's Capital doesn't always translate well into the classroom.'' The editorial continues: ``Michigan should have the flexibility to decide how and when to measure student progress.'' My daughter-in-law is a hardworking and talented teacher who has experienced firsthand the problems No Child Left Behind creates for teachers, parents, and students.”