For too long, we have neglected the environment in which public school students learn. A recent study found that the nation should be spending $145 billion per year to provide our students with safe, healthy and modern 21^st century schools, but we invest $46 billion less than that each year – or almost a third lower.

Without these investments, too many of our students attend school in unsafe, crumbling and poorly ventilated buildings, many of which also have unsafe drinking water. We cannot condone such neglect.

House Education & Labor Committee Chair Bobby Scott (D-Va) understands the importance of safe, healthy and modern schools. He has responded by introducing legislation that would spend $100 billion to rebuild our nation’s schools. As the president considers a big infrastructure bill this year, he must not forget about our nation’s public school buildings. As Congress considers calls to spend billions of dollars on walls, it should instead remember the unquestionable value of building facilities for our children.