The only real solution to problems with public education is to just redo the system from the ground up, House Speaker Newt Gingrich told national and state PTA leaders Monday.
"The problem is much more serious than we want to admit," the Georgia Republican told the National PTA Legislative Conference."We don't seem to have the moral nerve to do anything about it (improving education from kindergarten through high school). At what point do we cut through all the arguments and red tape and start over?"
His speech hit close to home for those anticipating the outcome of Senate debate this week on education funding.
Proposed cuts of more than $3 billion in funding would threaten a number of programs, such as Head Start. Suggested cuts also would dramatically affect the amount of money for Pell Grants for college students and the Perkins Loan Program for college-bound high-school seniors.
Gingrich used the Washington, D.C., school system as an example of how funds spent on public education have been poorly used.
D.C.'s school system pays $9,400 a year for each student, with 38 cents of each dollar going to pay teachers and the other 62 cents going elsewhere, Gingrich said. He told the Conference that he had no idea where the other funding was going.
He said that GOP lawmakers remain committed to a voucher plan that is stalling the District of Columbia budget in the Senate. Democrats don't like the program, which would allow many of the poorest youngsters in the city to go to private schools.
In a statement Monday night, National PTA officials vowed to block proposed cuts in federal funding of public education - and said they would fight a federally imposed voucher plan for D.C. schools.
"We will never stand still for the kinds of cuts being promoted by the current congressional leadership," said National PTA President Joan Dykstra. "Members from every state ... are coming to Capitol Hill (Tuesday) to bring that message home."
She deemed the voucher plan "a direct threat to the survival of public education not only in the District, but for schools across America."
Gingrich said he favors programs that give children incentives to learn, citing his personal donation of money from his book tour to pay underprivileged children to read. He said it is up to parents, teachers and the community to give children the incentive to learn.
"If you will look at where we are trying to go and what we want to happen, then you'll see we're proposing the right debate."
(Jacob Clabes is a reporter for Scripps Howard News Service)