Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania's Senate Education Committee chairman is being criticized for saying minority students from "inner city" public schools would do better in vocational careers than in college.
Republican Sen. John Eichelberger (EYE'-kuhl-bur-gur) said during a town hall last week that minority students are being pushed toward college and are dropping out. He says they'd succeed in a less-intensive track.
His comments were reported by the Carlisle Sentinel.
Eichelberger, who's white, tells The Philadelphia Inquirer that he blames failing urban school systems, not skin color, for minority students dropping out of college.
Democratic Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia says Eichelberger should be removed from the committee chairmanship. Hughes says many minority students are victims of Pennsylvania's unfair school-funding system and some drop out of college because they can't afford it.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.