Hamlet Garcia

Note: this is not a final draft editions and spelling check will follow
today
My name is Hamlet Garcia, I thank you all for having me here. I live in Philadelphia, but I came to
Connecticut today because I know, from personal experience, that education and parent choice are an
issue of civil rights.
You see, in 2012, my wife and I were charged with a felony theft of services by deception which carry
a sentence of 7 years in jail for sending our daughter to Kindergarten in a school district outside of our
neighborhood even though my daughter and wife lived in that district at the time of school enrollment.
At the beginning of the school year, my wife and I were separated, my wife and our daughter were living
in Montgomery County Pennsylvania, a wealthy suburb, with her father and step mother, while I stayed
in Philadelphia. My wife enrolled our daughter in the neighborhood school. But when my wife and I got
back together, with three months left in the school year, the school district claimed that my daughter
had never lived in the district and that we had stolen her education.
They said we stole education and they wanted to make an example of us. We were arrested, booked
and held in jail until we could make bail. We was treated as criminals . I could not believe this was
happening. To us
I was born in Cuba and knew as a child that the government would put you in jail for anything they
wanted. They put my grandfather in prison for 15 years for standing up to Castro regime But I never
thought that in America, the land of opportunity were I have lived for 22 years as a law abiding citizen
that I could be thrown in prison for getting my daughter an education. So we chose to fight. We would
not accept a felony, even if they offered no jail time. A felony would cost me my right to vote. Cost my
wife her business. So we fought in the courts system, with the help of the media and twitter. We
contacted civil rights leaders and politicians. President Obama wrote me to express his support.
We had no intention of deceiving anyone my wife offered to pay for the 3 months that our daughter was
out of the school district. We also offered to pay for the entire year so we can have peace. But the
school district refused so they can use my family as an example the school Superintended said to the
Media Quote: we have about 15 cases like Mr Garcia this year but the Garcia family is the only we are
charging as criminal
Finally, we were strong enough to cut a deal, and we paid a fine but the criminal charges was dismissed
At that moment my friends told me to count my blessings that it was all over, but I knew I had to
continue to fight. They said Why do you want all this trouble? your daughter attend today a good

private school. And I responded Because no child should be denied an education because of their zipcode the color of their skin or the socioeconomic status and education is not a good that can be stolen.
It is a civil right that every child deserves. And that is why I am here fighting with you today.
I became connected to Connecticut while I was about to go on trial, and Governor Malloy signed a bill #
6677 into law that would prevent parents who enrolled their children in an out of town district from
ever being charged with a felony as I was. He made Connecticut the first state in the nation to do this.
Since then I have followed him and seen him as a leader in education. And we have create a similar bill
in Pennsylvania to stop arrested on parents bill 952 I strongly believe that Any laws signed during
America's segregation 1949 need to be reviewed by our law makers
The Governor Malloy supports creating more great schools for Connecticuts neediest families. But
funding for two new charter schools, that are desperately needed, has been cut by the Appropriations
Committee, and the schools might not be able to open unless we do something about it.
Hundreds of children who have a place in these two public charter schools face losing that opportunity
for a great education. They also want to cut money that allows existing schools to grow so they can
serve the students they have. Thousands more families will be hurt.
[Long pause]
I came to America with my parents when I was 18 years old. For me this has always been the Land of
Opportunity. But here, in the Land of Opportunity it is unjust that some kids get the chance to attend a
great school in their town, while others don't have that chance because there aren't any great schools in
their community. Zip code should never determine opportunity. Not here in Connecticut, not anywhere.
And if the state adopts the legislature's budget, zip code will be destiny for too many children. Parents
must make the best decision to protect the educational and overall wellbeing of their children
If you want to oppress someone you dont give them an education. And if you oppress someone
enough, you turn them into a criminal.
If you want to build a strong nation, educate every child.
When bright young minds can't have Access to a Quality Education America pays the price.
Thank you