[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6210]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                 STOP CLOSING PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN AMERICA

  (Ms. JACKSON LEE asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate and thank the 
community of North Forest and the North Forest Independent School 
District.
  This has been a tumultuous week. This school district, undeserving, 
has fallen prey and victim to the closing of public schools in a public 
school system--this district that has acceptable schools; this district 
that has homeowners who have taxed themselves to ensure excellence in 
the teaching of these children, 7,500 students that are happy to be in 
a small pond and be a big fish. It is sad that the TEA administrator 
has undeservedly offered to close this school district without 
accepting an offer of compromise.
  This is time for the Secretary of Education to act on the massive 
closings of public schools throughout America. This is time for the 
U.S. Department of Justice to act on preventing the elimination of 
elected school board members and utilizing section 5.
  But more importantly, I want to thank the ombudsman coalition headed 
by Dr. Ken Campbell and President Robinson, the presidents of the 
Ministers Alliance who carried on a prayer vigil this last week. I do 
believe that prayers will be answered, the children will be saved, and 
we'll stop closing public schools in America.

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