Byron Dorgan: “Education is very important. I am pleased it appears we will now finish this bill. This Congress has a responsibility to…”

“Education is very important. I am pleased it appears we will now finish this bill. This Congress has a responsibility to address the issue of education in a thoughtful way. We understand there are plenty of challenges in our educational system. We have schools that don't do as well as we would like. At the same time, I want to be sure to say there are a lot of wonderful schools in this country and a lot of great teachers who are educating our children. More Americans have completed a high school education today than at any other time in history. At a time when we talk about the deficiencies in education, 84 percent of the American people are now completing a high school education. In France, only 52 percent of adults have a high school education. In the United Kingdom, 68 percent. In Japan, 70 percent. With respect to virtually every aspect of life in this country, one can take something and hold it to a light and say, isn't this ugly, and one can find a perfection that is ugly. But generally with respect to education, I ask this question: If public education in this country has not worked, how is it we have reached this position in our lives?”