[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 120 (Thursday, September 11, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H7202-H7203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SCHOOL CHOICE LETS PARENTS MAKE THE RIGHT DECISION FOR THEIR CHILDREN

  (Mr. TIAHRT asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, when parents express their unhappiness about 
the quality of schools where they live, it is very rare that they point 
to insufficient money as a source of their unhappiness. In fact, it is 
almost never a question of money. They are much more likely to point 
out no respect for authority and the lack of discipline in the 
classroom, their fear of violence in schools, or their disagreement 
with the values and attitudes taught their children.
  Mr. Speaker, school choice already exists to some degree in America. 
In fact, many parents decide where they

[[Page H7203]]

wish to live based on the quality of the public schools in a given 
neighborhood. They vote with their feet, by moving to the school 
district of their choice. But many parents lack the means to choose the 
neighborhood with the best schools, or they lack the flexibility to 
move to a better neighborhood because of their work.
  Republicans want to help parents. We want to make school choice 
available for more parents, because we trust parents to make the right 
choice for their children. That is why we support school choice.

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