20-03-2025
Rep. Rick Allen reads to children, responds to Department of Education staff cuts
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – Georgia Congressman Rick Allen read to students at Lamar-Milledge Elementary School on Wednesday for National March Into Literacy Month and shared his thoughts on recently announced job cuts to the Department of Education.
Allen said teachers are aware of the best way to educate students and added that the federal government will continue to fund education and assist teachers.
'We know parents want to get more involved in their children's education. We know that parents were not happy with the decisions that came from the Department of Education,' said Allen. 'Every state's different, every community is different, and it's important, and of course school choice is a 80/20, polls 80/20 and again. I think the book said that the spotted animal found its place. Well, students are the same way.'
Allen said children who are not reading proficiently by the third grade are less likely to graduate from high school on time, which is part of the reason he wanted to focus on literacy while out of session this week.
'I'm trying to promote literacy and really motivating young people to read, because that's really the key to education,' said Allen. 'Obviously, reading skills, math and others, but mainly reading is. And the reason for that is if you're not reading at a third-grade level, when you finish the third grade, you're not you're likely not to graduate from high school.'
Students at Lamar-Milledge Elementary School also received books at the event.
Photojournalist credit: Dania Alawir
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
