[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 17, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H7371]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page H7371]]
           PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT AND COMPETITION FOR EDUCATION

  (Mr. GUTKNECHT asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I find it fascinating to listen to some 
of the discussion over the last several weeks about education, and I 
think those who have been watching on C-SPAN see the real differences 
between Republicans and Democrats. The Democrats invariably talk about 
more money for education; principally, more Federal money for local 
education. But Mr. Speaker, if more money alone were the answer, 
Washington, DC, would have the best schools in America. We are spending 
about $9,000 per student on the schools here in Washington, DC.
  Now, we obviously need to make certain that our schools have adequate 
resources. What we really need, however, is to encourage parental 
involvement and use the miracle of the marketplace. Competition works. 
The best way to improve poor schools is to give poor parents the same 
choices that the wealthy have.

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