July 10, 2008
Congressman James Clyburn Leads The Battle For Education Reform
South Carolina Congressman James E. Clyburn's dedication to education can be traced back to his days teaching history in Charleston, South Carolina. Once elected to the United States Congress in 1992, Clyburn's shepherding of education bills pushed him to the forefront of our country's leaders in education reform. Since then he has risen to become the first South Carolinian and second African-American House Majority Whip.
When Congressman Clyburn joined community partners to open the James E. Clyburn Community Empowerment Center in 2007, he added to his legacy of a lifetime's worth of passionate support for education reform by providing children and adults access to technological and educational resources. At the opening of the center he stated, "From my first career as a high school teacher to my current position in the U.S. House of Representatives, I have always dedicated myself to providing youth the best opportunities to succeed in life."
In mid-November 2007, Congressman Clyburn visited Harlem Success Academy Charter School in New York City and was incredibly impressed by what he saw, later describing his visit as "deeply emotional." This visit triggered Clyburn into becoming a vocal advocate of school choice. On November 26, 2008 Clyburn told the New York Sun, "There are few things that are more vital than ensuring that all of our children have access to a meaningful and productive education."
In December 2007 Clyburn published an op-ed in the Charleston Post and Courier expressing his support of school choice and education reform. He wrote, "I am convinced, as Jim Rex [Education Superintendent] is, that public school choice empowers parents to find the educational opportunities that will help their children succeed." With this published opinion, Congressman Clyburn solidified himself as an elected official willing to publicly defy the status quo in order to protect the best interests of our children.
We wish Congressman Clyburn luck as he continues the fight for education reform.
