The West Wing1999

Sam Seaborn:
Mallory, everything that you're saying makes sense. I just think that the state of urban schools is such that if you can save even one kid...

Mallory O'Brian:
[stands] You can save more than one kid...

Sam Seaborn:
Tell me how.

Mallory O'Brian:
By asking Congress to approve, not just a little, but a lot more money for public education. [Sam laughs] What?

Sam Seaborn:
[stands] Public education has been a public policy disaster for 40 years. Having spent around four trillion dollars on public schools since 1965, the result has been a steady and inexorable decline in every measurable standard of student performance, to say nothing of health and safety. But don't worry about it, because the U.S. House of Representatives is on the case. I feel better already.

Mallory O'Brian:
[beat] Wow.

Sam Seaborn:
What?

Mallory O'Brian:
For a guy who's trying to date me, that was pretty snotty.

Sam Seaborn:
Well, hang on. These are office hours. If I'd know I was working on that I would have had a whole different attitude.