[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 146 (Wednesday, October 14, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H10887]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1630
           LEAVE THE RUNNING OF SCHOOLS TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Washington (Mr. Metcalf) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. METCALF. Mr. Speaker, I am a former teacher from Everett, 
Washington. Over the 30 years I have taught in Everett, there are now 
thousands of former students in Washington State and scattered across 
the Nation. I know how crucial the education improvements in this 
budget are.
  We must now make education one of our top priorities. Yet, we are all 
well aware that Washington, D.C. cannot run our schools. It would be a 
disaster for us to try. Our mission is to support education but leave 
maximum power and authority at the State and local levels.
  Our school systems worked so well when the parents and the local 
school boards had full responsibility for local schools. However, the 
financing of education has not kept pace, so our best course now is to 
provide all the money possible and leave the actual running of the 
schools in the hands of the local school board and of the teachers, 
remembering, however, that the parents must retain ultimate control of 
schools or the system will fail the students.

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