America's Children will not Benefit by Chipping Away at “Great Society” programs that have served American working families for the past 40 years.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma), the top Democrat of the Education Reform subcommittee issued the following statement regarding the passage of H.R. 2210, the Republican Head Start bill. The bill that passed the U.S. House last night by 217-216 will dismantle the Head Start program that has served America’s poorest children for the past 40 years and turn it into an experimental block grant.

The following is Rep. Woolsey’s statement:

“This Head Start bill turns a program that is a proven success at improving the lives and futures of low-income children into a federal experiment. And, for the first time in this nation's history, it repeals a law which protects employees against religious discrimination.

“Head Start does a better job than any other program to narrow the school readiness gap between low-income children and their more advantaged peers. One year in Head Start can't erase all of these barriers, but we have proof that children who have been in Head Start enter kindergarten ahead of their peers from similar economic backgrounds.

“Head Start kids make substantial gains in specific academic skills during kindergarten, and they end up close to all national academic norms by the end of their kindergarten year. This is an amazing record of achievement when you consider where Head Start children started. These are our nation's most disadvantaged children, who have multiple barriers to learning.

“Yet, not only does this bill hand Head Start over to the states as a block grant, it could also lead to tens of thousands of Head Start children losing their beloved teachers for no other reason than religious prejudice. H.R. 2210 allows faith-based head start providers to fire thousands of dedicated Head Start teachers because of their religious beliefs and practices.

“Head Start could benefit from some improvements that include fully funding the program, and extending Head Start to all of the country’s eligible pre-school children. But, turning this successful 40 year old program into a block grant that cash-strapped governors could use for other state programs -- is not the way to do it.

“Whether the fight is over the preservation of Medicare for America’s Seniors, or Head Start for America’s youth, the Republican agenda will eliminate programs that have served working families for the past 40 years. Children, especially children of the poorest American families, should not be victims of politics.”