[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 149 (Thursday, October 30, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H9734]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   GREATER LOCAL CONTROL IN EDUCATION

  (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, why are the liberals against public schools? 
Everyone not in the pocket of special interests which protect the 
status quo knows that for public schools to improve, cosmetic changes 
will not be enough. No matter how many times we rearrange the chairs of 
the curriculum, real improvement will be nothing but another empty 
promise.
  Let us just look at the places where public schools have improved. In 
Cleveland, Milwaukee, the State of Minnesota, truly bold initiatives 
are what forced change and brought about real improvement. The other 
side might stop for a moment and look at all three cases. Improvements 
did not come from Washington, DC. Improvements did not come from 
another Federal program with more bureaucrats. In every case, the 
improvement came from greater local control, more school choice and 
more power to make decisions in the hands of the parents.
  Oh, yes, the special interests fought the very same changes that led 
to real improvement every step of the way. So why are the liberals 
against public schools?

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