I believe public education is the new civil rights battle and I support charter schools.

Racial segregation has come back to public education with a vengeance.

Many of those who argue for vouchers say that they simply want to use competition to improve public education. I don't think it works that way and I've been watching this for a longtime.

I am opposed to the use of public funds for private education.

During the decades after Brown v. Board of Education there was terrific progress. Tens of thousands of public schools were integrated racially. During that time the gap between black and white achievement narrowed.

I think that anybody that stays in school gets good grades pays the price I think we are wealthy enough in the public and the private sector in America to make sure that every child in America that wants to continue their education they should be able to do that.

Growing up I was encouraged to get a good education get a real job doing something I enjoyed and should the opportunity present itself consider public service as just that: a chance to serve not an end in itself.

I had a great education. From kindergarten to John Dewey High School in Coney Island I am public-school educated.

We're first on executions. We're 49th in funding public education. We're in a race with Mississippi for the bottom and we're winning.

All provisions of federal state or local law requiring or permitting discrimination in public education must yield.