Pete Sessions: “there is a real problem in education today in kindergarten through 12th grade. Anybody who talks to teachers at any…”

“there is a real problem in education today in kindergarten through 12th grade. Anybody who talks to teachers at any length, as I have, will realize that discipline is a key problem for teachers, principals, and administrators. It undermines the ability of learning in the classroom, and it is not a healthy environment too often. It is a real challenge today. Children are always difficult to manage, and in today's world I think it is more so than in the past. I have been to quite a number of schools in my State over the last year--maybe as many as 20. Each time, I spent a good deal of time with teachers and principals and sometimes superintendents and board members. We talked about what is going on. I can say with absolute certainty that they told me over and over again that the biggest problem they see from the Federal Government is the discipline rules that have been set forth under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act. I suggest that if anybody is doubtful about that, call a schoolteacher they know and talk to them about what is being said and what is occurring within their schools. I was amazed. It is a Federal mandate. It is a law that has the best of all intentions to deal with disabled children, and I support it entirely. But there have been some unintended consequences in how children are disciplined in a classroom. We have absolutely created two classes of children for the purpose of discipline.”