Joe Crowley: “I rise to speak about the educational needs of our children and about the poor facilities and overcrowding faced by…”

“I rise to speak about the educational needs of our children and about the poor facilities and overcrowding faced by schools in my district and districts all across this great country. Mr. Speaker, education needs to be our first priority. When I talk to my constituents in Queens and the Bronx, the number-one thing that they ask me is what are you doing about the overcrowded conditions in our schools? The New York City public school system is the largest public school system in our country and proudly sends 62 percent of its students on to 4-year college careers. This is a strong school system; however, it has two huge problems: aging buildings and a rapidly growing student population. I believe these are problems that plague many other school systems as well throughout our Nation. Mr. Speaker, the schools need our support. The school systems educate our children, prepare them for college, and in many cases keep them off our streets, safe from harm. But now it is the schools themselves that are posing a threat to the safety of our children. Buildings are failing inspections, and classrooms are so overcrowded that teachers are forced to conduct classes in hallways and other makeshift venues. With these strange learning environments teachers cannot teach as effectively, and our children are the losers. Every child deserves, every child deserves, a safe school and needs a safe school to have a chance at success in life.”