Political Quotes

“I rise today to introduce A Million Quality Teachers Act. Thomas Jefferson once observed that of all the bills in the federal code, "by far the most important is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people." "No surer foundation," he said, "can be devised for the preservation of freedom and happiness." Unfortunately, our current foundation of elementary and secondary education is grossly inadequate to enable American children of all income levels and backgrounds to best realize the "American dream" and the economic freedoms that the "American dream" encapsulates. Most companies dismiss the value of a high school diploma. Twelfth grade students in the United States rank near the very bottom on international comparisons in math and science. The Third International Math and Science Study, the most comprehensive and rigorous comparison of quantitative skills across nations, reveals that the longer our students stay in the elementary and public school system, the worse they perform on standardized tests. High school graduates are twice as likely to be unemployed as college graduates (3.9% vs. 1.9%). Moreover, the value of a college degree over a high school degree is rising. In 1970, a college graduate made 136% more than a high school graduate. Today it is 176%. Even more ominous are labor participation rates for high school graduates in an information economy.”