Congressman Graves visited Searcy Elementary School last Friday to discuss his education initiatives with local educators
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Congressman Graves visited Searcy Elementary School last Friday to discuss his education initiatives with local educators. This stop is a part of a district wide tour that will be stopping in 13 counties throughout the week.
“We need a federal education policy that supports our local schools and encourages our students to reach their full potential,” said Graves. “Our current system is a maze of duplicative, burdensome, and unnecessary regulations that neither provide the resources nor the encouragement that our local schools and teachers need or deserve.”
Congressman Graves unveiled his legislative agenda to local educators during a roundtable discussion on important issues facing local school districts and teachers. His legislative agenda includes: increasing federal funds for IDEA, sending 95 percent of every education dollar directly to the classroom; empowering schools and teachers to remove dangerous and disruptive students from the classroom; protecting teachers from civil litigation who engage in reasonable actions to maintain discipline in the school; supporting recruitment and retention efforts to attract and retain teachers; and protecting Missouri teachers’ retirement.
“Despite the recent emphasis on education by Congress, too many education dollars are wasted on the federal and state bureaucracy,” stated Graves. “I will fight for initiatives that direct at least 95 cents of every education tax dollar directly to the classroom. In this manner, teachers, parents, and administrators will be in control of the education decisions of our children.”
Mr. Graves commented that in recent years, federal education policy has been criticized because of its inflexibility in dealing with discipline of students with special education needs. Congressman Graves has worked with education groups to assist them in reforming these disciplinary provisions creating a more flexible approach that strengthens the authority of local schools and teachers to adequately control disruptive and dangerous conduct in the classroom.
“It is critical that we insure that every child has a teacher who cares and a classroom that is safe,” remarked Graves. “Congress can help school districts attract and retain qualified teachers and we can insure that schools have the flexibility and the authority to provide classrooms that are safe.”