Patty Murray: “Mr, President, I have numerous quotes from teachers, and I can tell you from personal anecdotes, as I have talked with…”

“Mr, President, I have numerous quotes from teachers, and I can tell you from personal anecdotes, as I have talked with teachers throughout my State, it makes a difference when you have time, it makes a difference when you have to turn away three or four students with a question because you simply don't have time. We demand higher learning skills. We have a responsibility to do something about it. We can't just say, ``Oh, it's a local school district problem.'' ``Oh, it's a State problem.'' ``Oh, it's somebody else's problem.'' We have a responsibility in the U.S. Senate as leaders in this country to send a message that we want to make a difference and we are listening to the people we represent that class size makes a difference. Let me also tell you what some students say, because I have a group of students who are my advisors. They are called my student advisory youth involvement team or SAYIT. I go to them and ask them to tell me what they think of the issues we are debating. On the issue of class size, this is what students say: Brook Bodnar, who is age 16, recently moved from a school with larger classes to Olympia High School which has smaller classes. She says: . . . with smaller classes I'm learning so much more. Class is going so much faster. That is what a student says. Jared Stueckle, age 16, a junior at Selah High School, believes education should be a higher priority in funding and that class size is a good investment.”