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Remarks of Congressman Robert C.
"Bobby" Scott
National Association of Black
School Educators
Annual Legislative
Conference
May 4, 2000
Good morning- it is a pleasure to join you today as
you begin your annual legislative conference. Over the course of the
next several days, you will learn about what Congress is doing or
not doing to improve educational opportunities for all students. As
black school educators, you have more of an appreciation for the
critical needs and disparities in our education system. As such, you
recognize more than others the important historic role the federal
government has provided to students who have traditionally been left
behind by the system- economically disadvantaged students (Title I),
students with disabilities, limited English proficient children,
homeless children and others. NABSE has had a long track record in
advocating on the importance of educating those most at
risk.
Over the course of the next day or so, you will
learn about efforts to erode the federal education safety net for
our most needy students –– proposals like vouchers; block grants
(Straight A’s). But more than a lesson in federal education policy,
this conference will provide you a history lesson. Congress will
make history in the arena of education this year. Not because we
have done anything but because of the very fact we will have in the
fist time in the history of the Elementary and Secondary Education
Act (1965), the primary federal vehicle for education programs,
Congress will fail to reauthorize these programs. You all know what
happens when a student fails to do an assignment –– they get a zero
or an incomplete. For Congress, the consequences are more severe-
failure to reauthorize a program means that the appropriations, $14
billion, in this case is technically at risk. It also means that we
have failed our responsibility to set education policy for the first
part of the new Millennium at a time when the demands on our
education system are more than ever.
The bills that we are considering now to reauthorize
ESEA as you will learn are in such abysmal shape that there is no
way to fix them and we are running out of legislative days in order
to come to any agreements. Frankly, the Majority has seen not to
invite us to the table to reach bipartisan agreement and has chosen
instead to pursue a reckless course that serves their political
purposes.
I want to touch on a few of the proposals Congress
will likely be considering in our futile effort to re-authorize ESEA
that you may not necessarily hear about:
Vouchers and Not School Aid: While many of you are
familiar with the pitfalls of vouchers, I wanted you to be aware of
the implications for the enforcement of federal civil rights laws in
their voucher proposals.
While we defeated a voucher proposal containing this
provision in committee, we will likely see this again on the House
Floor and on the Senate Floor.
Charitable Choice on Even Start and Safe and Drug
Free Schools programs:
*What it is (Law in Welfare Reform and Community
Services Block Grant)
*Publicly Funded Employment
Discrimination
*Minors as a captive audience
Religious Liberty Issues:
· School Prayer:
Protecting Free Exercise over Establishment claims and allowing
Department of Education to decide what is constitutionally
protected prayer. Allows the draconian punishment of withholding
all ESEA funds if out of compliance with departments
interpretation of constitutionally protected free
exercise
· Memorial Services
Language
Unfortunately, these issues represent the tip of the
iceberg in terms of the problems in the ESEA bills. In this
Conference, you will learn about some of the other issues we are
dealing with.
You know the issues that will make a difference to
educating at risk kids. NABSE has had a long track record in
advocating on these issues. You were there during the Ed-Flex
debate, the Title I school wide debate, and have remained a strong
advocate for doing the right thing. I know I and many other Members
of Congress have appreciated your advocacy and counsel on important
education issues. Thank you.
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Congressman
Representing
Virginia's Third Congressional District 
