Political Quotes

“many of us are growing increasingly concerned with two trends in Federal aid to education. The first is the creation of unfunded mandates and the second is the erosion of local control and flexibility in determining such matters as curriculum, textbooks, and teacher certification. There are far too many examples of unfunded mandates. The Asbestos Schools Hazard Abatement Act once again has not been funded. Public Law 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act promised a 40- percent Federal share. This year the Federal share is only 8 percent. Goals 2000 for all its virtues is clearly more prescriptive than necessary to meet the desirable national standards. Madam Chairman, amendments we are considering to H.R. 6 attempt to dictate to school authorities who they should teach and not teach despite State laws to the contrary--the case in my State of New York. We are asked to prohibit Federal funding if certain life styles are presented in a positive way. Madam Chairman, it is hard to imagine a deeper or more subjective intrusion into curriculum decisions than what is before us. I urge my colleagues to place the higher principle of local control of what is taught in our classrooms over their particular bias.”