Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Berkley makes appeal for education

WASHINGTON -- President Clinton today gathered 17 Democratic lawmakers at a White House Rose Garden press conference to highlight the need for more education spending.

Clinton said Nevada Rep. Shelley Berkley's fast-growing Las Vegas district was a prime example of districts nationwide that need more federal money for new teachers, before- and after-school programs, new school construction and old school maintenance.

Clinton said Congress members are rushing in their final few days of the session to include pork projects for their districts back home but ignoring national education priorities.

"We have the money to address it," Clinton said. "We can do better and we must."

Berkley in a brief speech told the assembled reporters about Las Vegas' booming population and fast-rising school enrollments. She spoke of Von Tobel Middle School, a 35-year-old building that was built for 900 students but holds 1,700.

"This is not the way we should be educating our children in the 21st century," Berkley said.

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