[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 32 (Wednesday, March 6, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     SUPPORTING PUBLIC SCHOOL WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 6, 2013

  Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 
recognize Public School Week. This weeklong series of events is 
designed to inform and transform the civic conversation around public 
education. In order for America to lead in the 21st century, our 
foremost social and economic imperative should be to provide a quality 
education to all of our students.
  In my city of Dallas, four magnet schools were identified as Blue 
Ribbon schools. These four Dallas Independent School District (ISD) 
schools are the Environmental Science Academy, the Townview School of 
Science and Engineering Magnet High School, the Rosie M. Collins 
Sorrells School of Education and the Social Services Magnet High School 
and Irma Lerma Rangel Young Women's Leadership School. Being identified 
as a Blue Ribbon school means they are among the finest schools in the 
country, and I am proud of these four stellar institutions and others 
like them.
  Townview Magnet is one of the most diverse schools in Texas, with 
minorities representing over half of the student population. Townview 
is a gem in my Congressional district and home to some of the Nation's 
best and brightest students. Newsweek Magazine has consistently rated 
Townview's Science and Engineering Magnet as one of the top high 
schools in the Nation. Townview serves as a model for other 
institutions of learning across the country.
  Mr. Speaker, many of our best and our brightest students attend 
public schools and with encouragement and support from their principals 
and teachers they are capable of achieving remarkable success. We 
cannot allow our schools to lose the critical funding they need to 
operate simply because we as a Congress cannot work together to solve 
sequestration. Texas is poised to lose approximately $67.8 million for 
primary and secondary education, putting around 930 teacher and aide 
jobs at risk. In addition about 172,000 fewer students would be served 
and approximately 280 fewer schools would receive funding.
  Mr. Speaker, supporting our Nation's public schools will help us out-
educate, out-innovate, and out-build the rest of the world. We must 
identify ways to help improve schools like these that provide 
educational excellence to our communities. We must not waver in our 
commitment to our children and the future of this country.

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