Chase Urges Congress to 'Sieze the Day'
NEA President Bob Chase Thursday (January 27, 2000) urged Congress to
"seize the day" and support the education proposals in President Clinton's
State of the Union Address.
"This nation's unprecedented prosperity provides a unique opportunity,
and President Clinton is asking Congress to act now," said Chase. "The
education of our children must be our highest priority, yet education
spending only accounts for 2% of the federal budget. For a nation so blessed,
that's an unacceptable commitment to children and public education.
"I would urge Congress to 'seize the day' and make education a national
priority," said Chase. "The president's proposals for after-school care,
expanded Head Start, enhanced teacher quality and recruitment, and class
size reduction – coupled with his earlier proposals to expand college
affordability – recognize that public education must serve a full
array of students, of all academic levels and all ability levels.
"Our children – and their public schools – have enormous unmet
needs," Chase said. "Large class sizes, uncertified teachers, low teacher
salaries, outdated facilities, soaring special education costs, and inadequate
technology are challenging the ability of America's public schools to
provide our students with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed
in life.
"President Clinton is challenging America to do better by its children,
and with more than enough resources now available to do so, it is a challenge
that deserves the full support of Congress and the American people," Chase
said.
Posted January 27, 2000