[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 144 (Thursday, October 23, 1997)]
[House]
[Pages H9044-H9045]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               EDUCATION

  (Mr. KINGSTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KINGSTON. Madam Speaker, why are the Democrats trying to keep the 
status quo in public education? Are

[[Page H9045]]

they so much in the pocket of the Washington Teachers Union that they 
are willing to sacrifice America's children to educational mediocrity.
  As a public school graduate and the son and brother of teachers, I am 
appalled by this out-of-touch, deny-reality approach to education. Just 
because Washington bureaucrats do not want to improve public education 
does not mean that Congress should be afraid to tackle the job.

                              {time}  1030

  Since my graduation from high school, SAT scores have fallen. Tests 
on an international basis show that Americans are behind German, 
Japanese, and British children, and private schools and charter schools 
are flourishing in popularity.
  Why? Because of local control. Because of less Washington 
bureaucrats. Not because of Washington redtape and all the status quo 
things that the Democrat Party seems so content to keep piling on, and 
piling on, on the teacher and her classroom.
  I say let us improve public education. Let us start by returning 
dollars not to the Washington bureaucracy but to the teacher in the 
classroom.

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