---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We need excellence in public education…"
description: "\"We need excellence in public education and if the teachers can't do it, we'll send in a couple of policemen.\" — Frank Rizzo"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg"
---

#  We need excellence in public education and if the teachers…

![“We need excellence in public education and if the teachers can't do it, we'll send in a couple of policemen.” quote by Frank Rizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg)

> “We need excellence in public education and if the teachers can't do it, we'll send in a couple of policemen.”

[Frank Rizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The statement sat that if teachers fail to achieve excellence, the solution proposed is to replace them with police, implying a punitive approach.

**In simple terms:** If teachers falter, bring in police.

Key Takeaway

Address educational failures with support, not force.

Themes

education reform law enforcement policy criticism

Mood

critical concerned

Type

political social commentary

When to use this quote

- underperforming schools
- discipline policies
- budget cuts

Key Concepts

public policy school safety accountability

Questions to Reflect On

- What alternatives can improve teacher performance?
- How does militarizing schools affect students?

A Different Perspective

Replacing teachers with police may harm learning environments.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Excellence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excellence/) [Policemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policemen/) [Public education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-education/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/)

## Related quotes

> [“Competence is doing what you need to do. Excellence is knowing what you’re supposed to do, getting it on autopilot, and going beyond.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-perman/competence-is-doing-what-you-need-to-do-excellence-is-knowing-what/)

[Matt Perman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-perman/)

> [What is excellence? It is about going a little beyond what we expect from ourselves. Part of the need for excellence is imposed on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azim-premji/what-is-excellence-it-is-about-going-a-little-beyond-what-we-expect/)

[Azim Premji](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azim-premji/)

> [Most of our physical education teachers were just teachers, and they had to do the extra stuff on their own. I remember very vividly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-mathis/most-of-our-physical-education-teachers-were-just-teachers-and-they/)

[Johnny Mathis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-mathis/)

> [I think we spend too much on K-12 education a.k.a. teachers' salaries. It's the only industry where you never see any productivity increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-brimelow/i-think-we-spend-too-much-on-k-12-education-a-k-a-teachers-salaries/)

[Peter Brimelow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-brimelow/)

> [It's hard to get an education when teachers spend 70 percent of their time trying to discipline students.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelsan-ellis/it-s-hard-to-get-an-education-when-teachers-spend-70-percent-of-their/)

[Nelsan Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelsan-ellis/)

> [Reforming public education, cutting property taxes, fixing adult and child protective services and funding our budget can all occur when Democrats and Republicans engage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-perry/reforming-public-education-cutting-property-taxes-fixing-adult-and/)

[Rick Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-perry/)

> [“He couldn't help thinking that all that money we were spending blowing up things and killing people so far away, making people the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-vonnegut/he-couldn-t-help-thinking-that-all-that-money-we-were-spending/)

[Mark Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-vonnegut/)

> [“Frances Wright was a writer, founder of a utopian community, immigrant from Scotland in 1824, a fighter for the emancipation of slaves, for birth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-zinn/frances-wright-was-a-writer-founder-of-a-utopian-community-immigrant/)

[Howard Zinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-zinn/)

> [Public education has served as a check on the power of parents, and this is another powerful reason for maintaining it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goodlad/public-education-has-served-as-a-check-on-the-power-of-parents-and/)

[John Goodlad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goodlad/)

> [Now have two generations whose minds have been totally perverted, polluted, and destroyed by the American public education system, and, in particular, the history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/now-have-two-generations-whose-minds-have-been-totally-perverted/)

[Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/)

> [Bombay is far ahead of Bengal in the matter of female education. I have visited some of the best schools in Bengal and Bombay,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keshub-chandra-sen/bombay-is-far-ahead-of-bengal-in-the-matter-of-female-education-i/)

[Keshub Chandra Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keshub-chandra-sen/)

> [We are afraid to face the hard questions. We are willing to tackle drugs, crime, and public education only if it doesn't cost us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-irwin-miller/we-are-afraid-to-face-the-hard-questions-we-are-willing-to-tackle/)

[J. Irwin Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-irwin-miller/)

> [Our public education system does a great job. I don't think it's broken. We aren't interested in doing reform for reform's sake. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-juneau/our-public-education-system-does-a-great-job-i-don-t-think-it-s/)

[Denise Juneau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-juneau/)

> [I think Democrats are right. We fight for the American dream, for the environment, for privacy rights, a woman's right to choose, a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-boxer/i-think-democrats-are-right-we-fight-for-the-american-dream-for-the/)

[Barbara Boxer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-boxer/)

> [ Randi Weingarten, head of the American Federation of Teachers, calls \[Betsy\] DeVos the most ideological, anti-public education nominee since the creation of the U.S.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudio-sanchez/randi-weingarten-head-of-the-american-federation-of-teachers-calls/)

[Claudio Sanchez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudio-sanchez/)

## More by Frank Rizzo

> [A conservative is a liberal who got mugged the night before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/a-conservative-is-a-liberal-who-got-mugged-the-night-before/)

[Frank Rizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/)

> [The streets are safe in Philadelphia, it's only the people that make them unsafe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/the-streets-are-safe-in-philadelphia-it-s-only-the-people-that-make/)

[Frank Rizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/)

> [The streets are safe in Philadelphia. It's only the people who make them unsafe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/the-streets-are-safe-in-philadelphia-it-s-only-the-people-who-make/)

[Frank Rizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/)

> [A liberal is a conservative who hasn't been mugged yet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/a-liberal-is-a-conservative-who-hasn-t-been-mugged-yet/)

[Frank Rizzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/)

[Explore all 5 Frank Rizzo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/)

## More Couple quotes

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [Sometimes they were together so often that it felt as though they really were a couple; sometimes weeks and months would go by before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-they-were-together-so-often-that-it-felt-as-though-they/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [In a couple of decades you have half of the wells that are drilled right now, and you're talking about numbers in the millions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-fox/in-a-couple-of-decades-you-have-half-of-the-wells-that-are-drilled/)

[Josh Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-fox/)

> [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/)

[Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/)

> [I've had a couple knockouts, but I feel good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wanderlei-silva/i-ve-had-a-couple-knockouts-but-i-feel-good/)

[Wanderlei Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wanderlei-silva/)

> [There are bands that I am friends with, who will invite me up on stage. Like Les Savy Fav, who have had me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/there-are-bands-that-i-am-friends-with-who-will-invite-me-up-on-stage/)

[Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/)

> [I can get along great with the Hispanics. In fact, I sure would like to meet them, even the politicians, maybe in the back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-arpaio/i-can-get-along-great-with-the-hispanics-in-fact-i-sure-would-like-to/)

[Joe Arpaio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-arpaio/)

> [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/)

[Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/)

> [I took guitar lessons and recorded the song in New York. It was kind of a dream. I got to pretend I was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/i-took-guitar-lessons-and-recorded-the-song-in-new-york-it-was-kind/)

[Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/)

> [I met Tyler Perry and we did 'House of Payne' and a movie. We've done a couple other films since then, but it all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-gross/i-met-tyler-perry-and-we-did-house-of-payne-and-a-movie-we-ve-done-a/)

[Lance Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-gross/)

> [For me to even be talking about bikini confidence is crazy. If you had asked me a couple of months ago, I probably would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordin-sparks/for-me-to-even-be-talking-about-bikini-confidence-is-crazy-if-you-had/)

[Jordin Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordin-sparks/)

> [“Natalie was bored in her marriage. At first she could hardly admit it to herself. After all, they were a perfect match: similar backgrounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-becker-holstein/natalie-was-bored-in-her-marriage-at-first-she-could-hardly-admit-it/)

[Barbara Becker Holstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-becker-holstein/)

> [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/)

[Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/)

> [Sometimes, when you've got a couple of females on the cast, you'll have a diva, or you'll have arguments. I've been on shows where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-whittle/sometimes-when-you-ve-got-a-couple-of-females-on-the-cast-you-ll-have/)

[Ricky Whittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-whittle/)

> [In the 1998 Oscars, I found myself in the bathroom in a stall, next to Tom Selleck. So I leaned over and I said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/in-the-1998-oscars-i-found-myself-in-the-bathroom-in-a-stall-next-to/)

[Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/)

[Browse all 5,003 Couple quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "We need excellence in public education and if the teachers can't do it, we'll send in a couple of policemen.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Frank Rizzo"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/we-need-excellence-in-public-education-and-if-the-teachers-can-t-do/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Couple"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/we-need-excellence-in-public-education-and-if-the-teachers-can-t-do/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9c/frank-rizzo-59754_couple_we-need-excellence-in-public-education-a_1457428.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“We need excellence in public education and if the teachers can't do it, we'll send in a couple of policemen.” — Frank Rizzo",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Frank Rizzo",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rizzo/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "We need excellence in public education...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/we-need-excellence-in-public-education-and-if-the-teachers-can-t-do/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rizzo/we-need-excellence-in-public-education-and-if-the-teachers-can-t-do/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
