William R. Richardson: “I cannot support this bill. The education cuts in it are devastating for the country and for my State. In one school…”

“I cannot support this bill. The education cuts in it are devastating for the country and for my State. In one school district where 60 percent of the students beginning school do not speak English, these cuts mean that 6,000 students will not understand what is being taught. Bilingual education programs teach students like Elisa, who started the 2d grade not able to speak one word of English. Last year Elisa walked across the stage as the valedictorian of her 1,200 member graduating class. Impact aid funds provide a kindergarten for Gallup-McKinley County School District. The cuts contained in this bill mean 300 children will not go to kindergarten. Clovis municipal school system will lose a school counselor who works with children who are at risk of drug and alcohol abuse. The Belen School District has over 1,700 children who need reading and math help. With cuts to chapter 1 funding, the school district will have to choose which lucky 400 students out of 1,700 will get the help they need. Mr. Speaker I cannot go back to my district and look into the faces of children and explain to them that I voted to eliminate their chance to go to college, stay away from drugs and violence, and improve their reading and math skills. Vote against this bill.”