July 31, 2008
Senator Mary Landrieu Stands Up To Critics Of Education Reform
Louisiana's senior senator, Senator Mary Landrieu, has strived to reform our country's education system throughout her career as a legislator. She has actively supported education reform in Louisiana, and has been a strong proponent of charter schools throughout the parishes of her state. Senator Landrieu says of her duty to the children of this country, "I believe it is my job as Louisiana's senior senator to help our state find the resources it needs to secure for every child the finest education possible."
Since winning her Senate seat in a hotly contested election in 1996, Landrieu has been a strong advocate of charter schools and education reform. She opposed abandoning the public education system in favor of private school vouchers in Washington D.C., and was the subject of brutal criticism for doing so. She said of the attacks, "I'm willing to take a few lashes that are being dished out if it means that the children in the city get more opportunities for a quality education."
In the late 90s, Sen. Landrieu worked with a bi-partisan coalition to give scholarships to D.C. students for their education through the D.C. Student Opportunity Scholarship Act of 1997, though President Clinton later vetoed the bill. Sen. Landrieu has often been a voice of dissent against the status quo, joining seven Republicans and two other Democrats in May of 2008 to sponsor a bill honoring the achievements of charter school students. In introducing S. Res 556, Landrieu said, "Back home in New Orleans, in the aftermath of the catastrophic devastation from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita came an opportunity to recreate a public school system through bold innovation and community involvement. The educational entrepreneurship of public charter schools has been integral to the city's recovery. They are inspiring positive changes throughout the system, as other schools work to cultivate the same benefits. Our hope is that all public schools in New Orleans will enjoy the same entrepreneurship, independence, and community involvement that the public charter schools have fostered."
Landrieu's efforts to support charter schools in Louisiana, and to improve the quality of education in Washington D.C., have pushed her to the forefront as an education reformer and an open-minded legislator who is willing to fight for what is right for our children.
