Adam Byrd: “If the Senator will yield, I have had the occasion many times during my years of service in the Senate to observe…”

“If the Senator will yield, I have had the occasion many times during my years of service in the Senate to observe students who are taught discipline in the schoolrooms and respect for the flag, respect for authority, respect for their teachers, and, in many instances, those are Catholic schools. Another thing, we are not teaching our children the basics. I saw on television, not too long ago, a young lady who was asked, ``What do you remember about Abraham Lincoln?'' She giggled and said, ``He got shot.'' How much longer are we going to pour billions of dollars of taxpayers money into a system that turns out students who are not ready to be promoted or to graduate? We are experimenting too much with our children and they are not being taught the basics. I think we ought to do everything we can to educate children who really want to learn, and put the fast learners on a fast track. I think we ought to emphasize excellence in our schools, not only with students but also with teachers.”