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Originally Processed With FOIA(s):
FOIA Number:
S
2011-2184-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
Library Staff.
Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
Collection/Office of Origin:
Speechwriting, White House Office of
Series:
Speech File Draft Files
Subseries:
Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13489
Folder ID Number:
13489-012
Folder Title:
Business Roundtable Luncheon 6/5/89 [1]
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26
15
7
5
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
June 5, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE
The J.W. Marriott Hotel
Washington, D.C.
7:12 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much, Ed. Thank you so
much. Barbara and I are delighted to be here. And, Ed, to you, my
sincere thanks, not just for the invitation and the introduction, but
for all you do for education. My respects to John Akers, who is the
Chairman of your Human Resources Task Force. My respects to the
members of the Senate and the House who are here tonight and to
members of my Cabinet. I see our Secretary of Education here, Larry
Cavazos, who is doing an outstanding job. Larry, delighted to see
you. (Applause.) And one of your own, or one from industry, Bruce
Gelb I see sitting here, who's now heading the U.S. Information
Agency, taking on a very important job. So I'm going to stop right
there before I get in trouble. (Laughter.)
But I spent some time today just thinking about the trip
that was just completed and then how I would tie that in to what I'd
be saying here tonight. And let me just say a word on the European
trip. I am convinced that the Alliance that is so vital to American
interests, and I think to interests of every Western European
country, are in good shape. I think the Alliance itself is together,
perhaps stronger and more united than it's ever been. The spirit of
Brussels was one of change and opportunity and the challenge we face
in moving towards a future of freedom, prosperity and peace. And
I've labeled it "beyond containment." And many of you people in this
room know very well what I'm talking about when I talk about a
relationship with the Soviet Union that goes beyond containment. And
admittedly, a lot has to be done in terms of performance.
But I think with the Alliance together, the challenge now
to Mr. Gorbachev to come forward and make these serious reductions to
parity in U.S. and Soviet forces. I think we're on the move. I
think we're on the offense. And I must say I was very, very pleased
by the firm and united reaction from our European allies.
(Applause.)
But even as we talked about the matter of arms control
and arms reductions, the subject that joins us here tonight -- the
subject of education -- came up, everybody recognizing that we're
moving into a much more competitive age. And education is a means of
equipping ourselves to excel in an increasingly competitive global
marketplace. That is one of the things we're facing. Education is
the root -- can be the root of mutual understanding and can make an
enormous step towards peace in the world.
And so, before I mention that -- a subject which I told
Ed I'm a little reluctant to talk about with Larry Cavazos here and
with many of you already involved in it -- let me just say a word
about another subject -- the one that has dominated the news for the
last 48 hours and before as well. I'm talking about the tragic,
deplorable events taking place in China. I have a special affection
for the Chinese people. I've kept up my knowledge of China and my
relationship with various leaders there. I've been back to China
five times since Barbara and I left in 1975. And she's been back six
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- 2 -
times. And it is with a saddened heart that I, joining many of you,
watched the proceedings in Tiananmen Square.
I was so moved today by the bravery of that individual
that stood alone in front of the tanks rolling down the main avenue
there. And I heard some speculation on the television on -- what is
it that gives a young man the strength, gives him the courage to
stand up in front of a column of tanks right there in front of the
world. And I'll tell you, it was very moving. Because all of us
have seen the bravery and the determination of the students and the
workers -- seen their commitment to peaceful protest. And that
image, I think, is going to be with us for a long time. And all I
can say to him, whereever he might be, or to people around the world
is, we are and we must stand with him. And that's the way it is.
And that's the way it's going to be. (Applause.)
I know that many in this room do what we have encouraged
you to do do business with the People's Republic of China. And I
don't want to disturb that. I don't want to hurt the very business
community in China and here that has moved things forward toward
democracy. I did take some steps that some of you may have seen in
the military side today. I am convinced that there are many in the
People's Liberation Army who are sympathetic to the demonstrators.
But I think the way to move, to take action and to
express the outrage we feel is on that military supply side. And I'm
very hopeful that this message we sent today will be strong enough to
convince the leaders of the Chinese military to go back to the policy
of restraint and negotiation and peace as opposed to this crushing of
the human spirit in Tiananmen Square.
Tonight, I want to focus on the partnership that we can
build to create the world class education system that this country
needs. A gathering like this is a very, very good sign -- all of you
busy. And you've got the Business Roundtable, the Chamber, the NAM
-- National Association of Manufacturers, the American Business
Conference, coming together on this matter of urgent concern to our
great country.
And our schools are in trouble they're in real
trouble. And that means our kids are in trouble too. So what are we
going to do about it?
Well, together we can lead a nationwide crusade for
excellence in education. You won't find too many times when the
subject is education that I'll come out against studying. But this
is one of them. We've spent plenty of time studying the problem.
Hundreds of studies in the past few years alone, showing that our
schools simply do not measure up. And we've all heard the stories
about the kids who can't find the U.S. on a map and we've seen the
low test scores. And so, I really believe that the time for study is
past and it's time to take action.
Improving our schools is going to take a national effort
-- one that involves all levels of government -- parents, local
communities, the private sector as well. And it's going to take an
honest effort. And if we're serious about excellence in education,
we've got to put the politics on the back burner. And Ed was telling
me about the magnificent program you had here today with people from
all elements in the educational community. And I think that's a
very, very good thing.
I've heard plenty of complaints that we're not spending
enough. The typical Washington reaction says, well, if you've got a
problem, double the spending and that'll take care of it. The fact
is that we spend more per capita than many of our toughest
competitors. And, as a nation, we devote more than $300 billion a
year to educating our children. And that's not stingy, it's
staggering. And the resources are there and it's how we put those
resources to work that counts.
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- 3 -
And there's something more that we need to recognize --
we can multiply success. There's no monopoly on ideas -- no one
right answer when it comes to improving our schools. We can learn
from each other. Look at the states -- today's entrepreneurs of
education policy, if you will. We're witnessing the emergence of 50
laboratories of reform -- 50 states -- 50 laboratories of reform.
And yes, federal leadership is crucial. And, as you know, we've
introduced a package of education initiatives designed to reward
excellence, improve accountability and promote quality schools
through choice. I expect our ideas to get full and fair hearings
when Congress begins working on our bill next week.
And right now, I want to highlight an idea that's proved
its value in the business world -- an idea that can play a central
role in education as well. And I'm talking about competition. The
business world knows that competition brings out the best in
individuals and institutions. And the same is true for our schools.
Proof already exists. America's postsecondary education system is
widely recognized as the strongest and most successful system in the
world. And it's also extremely competitive. Schools compete to
attract the best students and first-rate faculties. And the plain
fact is that this competition is good. Superior schools inspire
others to reach for excellence. And our elementary and secondary
schools are the weak links in our system. Competition and choice can
help us make them stronger.
But what government can do is only part of the story. In
the private sector and in this business community hundreds of
companies, thousands of employees are going into the classrooms to
help children learn. And you didn't wait for a signal from
Washington. You saw an opportunity and you got involved. And the
numbers are impressive -- 186 corporations from the Business
Roundtable alone, and hundreds of others as well. And that tells me
that the great American tradition of serving others is alive and
thriving in corporate America.
Improving our schools is a national problem. But the
search for solutions must take place on the local level in our
communities. Local solutions work. Last month, I was up -- just
before I went abroad -- I was up in Rochester to visit the Wilson
Magnet School -- a school that just turned itself around. And 10
years ago, Wilson was plagued by crime and plunging grades and,
indeed, urban flight. And today, that Wilson Magnet School is one of
the top-ranked high schools in the state of New York -- a
night-and-day change. And you might say, well, how did it happen?
Over and over, everyone that I asked there said, I have one answer,
and that answer commitment. They used that word over and over
again. Commitment on the part of parents, teachers, students, and
commitment on the part of the corporation that calls that community
home -- Eastman Kodak -- contributed the equipment and the expertise
that helped bring learning alive for the kids at Wilson.
And I saw those Kodak employees sitting side-by-side with
the students at the computers, pitching in, doing a whale of a job.
And today, Wilson has many more applicants than it has space for
students. And it's a success story that I'd like to see repeated all
across this country. And business, it was you -- it was business
that played this key role.
Efforts like the one at Wilson, like the ones that many
of your companies are now engaged in, are producing real, lasting
results -- one school at a time, one student at a time. And all of
us know the magnitude of the challenge, and all of us can do our part
to strengthen our schools.
And that's why I'm announcing tonight the creation of an
advisory committee -- my first as President -- to focus on education
-- the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee. And I'll
call on this committee to bring me innovative ideas, to bring
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- 4 -
together leaders from business and labor, educators at every level,
state and local government officials, and the media in a partnership
to improve our schools.
The students who need our help can't wait. It's early
June; school's about to end for this year. And on graduation day,
how many kids won't be walking across that stage to get their
diploma? How many kids who walk out of that classroom a few weeks
from now won't be back in September? How many will get that degree
and go out into the world, come to work in your companies, without
the skills they need. Even a single young man or woman is one too
many, and yet there are millions.
Everyone in this room, I know, shares my concern. And
tonight I want to issue a challenge, a corporate call to action, if
you will, four ways that you can make a real difference. Start by
raising the literacy levels. Someone once asked Ben Franklin who he
thought was the most pitiful man in the world, and he said, "A
lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know how to read. And
Franklin understood that literacy is an open door to opportunity and
self-knowledge, to history, culture and a world of experience. And
make no mistake, reading isn't just a rainy day diversion; it's a
survival skill. And how can young people do the job if they can't
read the job application?
Some of you have spoken to me about this problem. I know
many of you have been engaged with Barbara in her effort to help make
this country more literate. And tonight, I ask all of you to start
at home and your offices, on the shop floor, make it your business to
help every employee who can't read but wants desparately to learn.
And second, let's raise our sights and our standards.
All of you know the kind of new employees that you're looking for,
and that's why it makes sense to work with the schools to create
programs that develop skills for the real world, for the millions of
new jobs that our economy is creating each year.
And all of you know how difficult it is for your
companies to keep pace in a world where change is measured in
milliseconds. And we must do all we can to equip our children, our
future workforce, with the thinking skills they'll need to make
careers in the information age.
You can't start too early. IBM is working in partnership
with Headstart in Baltimore, teaching four-year-olds how to use
computers. And listen to what one mother says: "The computer will be
just like the telephone - everyone will have one. My kids have to
learn this and so do I." That may be a good sales program for John
Akers, but it's also a whale of a good education program, I'll tell
you. (Laughter.)
We have to understand and we have to be involved. And
many of us grew up in a time when a worker would spend an entire
career in the same job, and those days are ending. Workers entering
the economy today can expect to train and retrain several times to
keep pace with changed working conditions. And it's up to our
corporations to create a working environment where employee education
and retraining and training never stops. From now on in America,
learning must be a life-long occupation.
And third, I challenge every CEO in this room to get
involved - personally involved with the schools in your own
community. Walk into the classroom, not as a CEO, but as a concerned
parent, as a good citizen, right there in the community. And I know
you and your companies are doing a great deal now to improve our
schools. But it's got to be personal. Be a catalyst for change.
Let me tell you about a businessman I know in New Orleans
who did exactly that. Pat Taylor Patrick Taylor. He walked into
one of the worst schools in New Orleans and made a promise to the
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- 5 -
entire eighth grade class -- over 200 kids. And he told them if they
kept up a B average and graduated, he'd guarantee that they get to
college -- go to college. And here's how he looks at it -- you don't
always get from individuals what you expect. But if you expect
nothing, you're going to get nothing. And Pat Taylor is telling
those kids that they've got a future and he's ready to help them get
there.
And now the last challenge -- everyone in this room is
here because you know how much education matters. And I want you to
take a message to the companies who aren't here tonight. Reach out,
bring others in this business community onboard. I want to see all
of America's corporations involved in a truly common effort.
And I know that you've got the energy and the ingenuity
to meet these challenges. Start now. I want to hear from you by
next Labor Day -- see the report card, if you will, your action plan
for excellence in education. And if I don't hear from you, I'll get
Barbara Bush on your case. (Laughter and applause.) She's told me
over and over again about many of you -- of your personal and your
company's interest in literacy and in education in general. And she
has been inspired by what so many of you have already done. She's
your cheerleader -- for those who are already constructively
involved. You've taken your skills and resources into our classrooms
because you know the bottom line -- we can't have a world-class
economy with second-class schools.
So take the challenges to heart, build on the fine work
that's already started and that's already going on in a big way. And
thank you for all you are doing and thank you for what I'm confident
all of you will be doing in the future. Thank you all very, very
much. (Applause.)
END
7:43 P.M. EDT
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
7125
MCCLURE
2230
:
SUNUNU
6797
NEWMAN
2861
SCOWCROFT
2224
PORTER
2998 BRAD
Brenda
2255
2705
DARMAN
3060
STUDDERT
2421 FRED
BATES
2174
UNTERMEYER 7060
BREEDEN
2270
Rogers
6594
CARD
2533
Roper
6515
CICCONI
2702
Pinkerton
6407
DEMAREST
7620
Lopez
2150
FITZWATER
2100
Petersmyer
6266
GRAY Rob 7953 2632
Bennett
673-2512
David Tell
HAGIN
2823
File
REMARKS: BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE EDUCATION FORUM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JUNE 5, 1989
THANK YOU, ED. I KNOW ALL OF YOU HAVE SPENT THE
AFTERNOON BRAINSTORMING ON WAYS THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY
CAN IMPROVE EDUCATION.
I SPENT SOME TIME TODAY THINKING ABOUT THE TRIP
I'VE JUST COMPLETED, AND WHAT I'D BE SAYING HERE
TONIGHT.
- 2 -
THE SPIRIT OF BRUSSELS WAS ONE OF CHANGE, OPPORTUNITY -
- AND THE CHALLENGE WE FACE IN MOVING TOWARDS A FUTURE
OF FREEDOM, PROSPERITY AND PEACE. THAT'S A CHALLENGE
THAT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION:
EDUCATION AS A MEANS OF EQUIPPING OURSELVES TO EXCEL IN
AN INCREASINGLY COMPETITIVE GLOBAL MARKET. EDUCATION
AS THE ROOT OF MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING -- ANOTHER STEP
TOWARDS PEACE IN OUR WORLD.
- 3 -
AND LET ME SAY A WORD ABOUT SOMETHING THAT'S ON ALL
OUR MINDS TONIGHT: THE TRAGIC, DEPLORABLE EVENTS
TAKING PLACE IN CHINA. ALL OF US HAVE SEEN THE BRAVERY
AND DETERMINATION OF THE STUDENTS AND WORKERS -- THEIR
COMMITMENT TO PEACEFUL PROTEST. TODAY, THE CAMERAS
BROUGHT HOME TO US AN IMAGE WE WON'T FORGET: ONE LONE
INDIVIDUAL, STANDING IN FRONT OF THE TANKS -- ONE LONE
INDIVIDUAL STANDING UP FOR THE FREEDOMS WE ENJOY. HE'S
NOT ALONE. WE'RE STANDING WITH HIM. [PAUSE]
- 4 -
TONIGHT, I WANT TO FOCUS ON THE PARTNERSHIP WE CAN
BUILD TO CREATE THE WORLD-CLASS EDUCATION SYSTEM THIS
NATION NEEDS.
A GATHERING LIKE THIS IS A GOOD SIGN. WE'VE GOT
THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, THE
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS AND THE AMERICAN
BUSINESS CONFERENCE COMING TOGETHER ON A MATTER OF
URGENT CONCERN TO ALL OF US.
- 5 -
OUR SCHOOLS ARE IN TROUBLE -- REAL TROUBLE. THAT
MEANS OUR KIDS ARE IN TROUBLE, TOO. So WHAT ARE WE
GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? WELL, TOGETHER, WE CAN LEAD A
NATIONWIDE CRUSADE FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
((You WON'T FIND TOO MANY TIMES WHEN THE SUBJECT IS
EDUCATION THAT I'LL COME OUT AGAINST STUDYING -- BUT
THIS IS ONE OF THEM.))
- 6 -
WE'VE SPENT PLENTY OF TIME STUDYING THE PROBLEM --
HUNDREDS OF STUDIES IN THE PAST FEW YEARS ALONE SHOWING
THAT OUR SCHOOLS DON'T MEASURE UP. WE'VE ALL HEARD THE
STORIES ABOUT KIDS WHO CAN'T FIND THE U.S. ON A MAP.
WE'VE ALL SEEN THE LOW TEST SCORES.
THE TIME FOR STUDY IS PAST. It's TIME TO TAKE
ACTION.
- 7 -
IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS IS GOING TO TAKE A NATIONAL
EFFORT, ONE THAT INVOLVES ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT,
PARENTS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES, AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR
AS WELL. AND IT'S GOING To TAKE AN HONEST EFFORT. IF
WE'RE SERIOUS ABOUT EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION, WE'VE GOT
TO PUT POLITICS ON THE BACK BURNER.
- 8 -
I'VE HEARD PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS THAT WE'RE NOT
SPENDING ENOUGH. THE FACT IS THAT WE SPEND MORE PER
CAPITA THAN MANY OF OUR TOUGHEST COMPETITORS, AND, AS A
NATION, WE DEVOTE MORE THAN $300 BILLION A YEAR TO
EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN. THAT'S NOT STINGY -- IT'S
STAGGERING. THE RESOURCES ARE THERE. It's HOW WE PUT
THOSE RESOURCES TO WORK THAT COUNTS.
- 9 -
AND THERE'S SOMETHING MORE WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE.
WE CAN MULTIPLY SUCCESS. THERE'S NO MONOPOLY ON
IDEAS -- NO ONE "RIGHT ANSWER" WHEN IT COMES TO
IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS. WE CAN LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.
JUST LOOK AT THE STATES -- TODAY'S ENTREPRENEURS OF
EDUCATION POLICY. WE'RE WITNESSING THE EMERGENCE OF 50
LABORATORIES OF REFORM.
- 10 -
FEDERAL LEADERSHIP IS CRUCIAL. As YOU KNOW, WE'VE
INTRODUCED A PACKAGE OF EDUCATION INITIATIVES DESIGNED
TO REWARD EXCELLENCE, IMPROVE ACCOUNTABILITY AND
PROMOTE QUALITY SCHOOLS THROUGH CHOICE. I EXPECT OUR
IDEAS TO GET A FULL AND FAIR HEARING WHEN CONGRESS
BEGINS WORKING ON OUR BILL NEXT WEEK.
RIGHT NOW, I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT AN IDEA THAT'S
PROVED ITS VALUE IN THE BUSINESS WORLD -- AN IDEA THAT
CAN PLAY A CENTRAL ROLE IN EDUCATION AS WELL.
- 11 -
I'M TALKING ABOUT COMPETITION. THE BUSINESS WORLD
KNOWS THAT COMPETITION BRINGS OUT THE BEST -- IN
INDIVIDUALS AND INSTITUTIONS.
THE SAME IS TRUE FOR OUR SCHOOLS. PROOF ALREADY
EXISTS: AMERICA'S POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM IS
WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS THE STRONGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL
SYSTEM IN THE WORLD. IT'S ALSO EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.
SCHOOLS COMPETE TO ATTRACT THE BEST STUDENTS, AND
FIRST-RATE FACULTIES.
- 12 -
AND THE PLAIN FACT IS THAT THIS COMPETITION IS
GOOD. SUPERIOR SCHOOLS INSPIRE OTHERS TO REACH FOR
EXCELLENCE. OUR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE
THE WEAK LINKS IN OUR SYSTEM. COMPETITION AND CHOICE
CAN HELP US MAKE THEM STRONGER.
- 13 -
BUT WHAT GOVERNMENT CAN DO IS ONLY PART OF THE
STORY. IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR -- IN THE AMERICAN
BUSINESS COMMUNITY -- HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES AND
THOUSANDS OF EMPLOYEES ARE GOING INTO THE CLASSROOMS TO
HELP CHILDREN LEARN. You DIDN'T WAIT FOR A SIGNAL FROM
WASHINGTON -- YOU SAW AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP, AND YOU
GOT INVOLVED. THE NUMBERS ARE IMPRESSIVE: 186
CORPORATIONS FROM THE BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE ALONE, AND
HUNDREDS OF OTHERS AS WELL.
- 14 -
THAT TELLS ME THAT THE GREAT AMERICAN TRADITION OF
SERVING OTHERS IS ALIVE AND THRIVING IN CORPORATE
AMERICA.
IMPROVING OUR SCHOOLS IS A NATIONAL PROBLEM, BUT
THE SEARCH FOR SOLUTIONS MUST TAKE PLACE ON THE LOCAL
LEVEL -- IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
LOCAL SOLUTIONS WORK. LAST MONTH I WAS UP IN
ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, TO VISIT THE WILSON MAGNET
SCHOOL -- A SCHOOL THAT TURNED ITSELF AROUND.
- 15 -
TEN YEARS AGO, WILSON WAS PLAGUED BY CRIME, PLUNGING
GRADES, AND URBAN FLIGHT. TODAY, WILSON MAGNET SCHOOL
IS ONE OF THE TOP-RANKED HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE STATE OF
NEW YORK.
A NIGHT-AND-DAY CHANGE: How DID IT HAPPEN? OVER
AND OVER, WHOEVER I ASKED, I GOT ONE ANSWER:
COMMITMENT. COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF PARENTS,
TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS. AND COMMITMENT ON THE PART OF
THE CORPORATION THAT CALLS THAT COMMUNITY HOME.
- 16 -
EASTMAN-KODAK CONTRIBUTED THE EQUIPMENT AND EXPERTISE
THAT HELPED BRING LEARNING ALIVE FOR THE KIDS AT
WILSON.
TODAY, WILSON HAS MANY MORE APPLICANTS THAN IT HAS
SPACE FOR STUDENTS. It's A SUCCESS STORY I'D LIKE TO
SEE REPEATED ACROSS THIS COUNTRY -- AND BUSINESS PLAYED
AN IMPORTANT PART.
- 17 -
EFFORTS LIKE THE ONE AT WILSON -- LIKE THE ONES
YOUR COMPANIES ARE NOW ENGAGED IN -- ARE PRODUCING
REAL, LASTING RESULTS, ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME, ONE
STUDENT AT A TIME. ALL OF US KNOW THE MAGNITUDE OF THE
CHALLENGE -- AND ALL OF US CAN DO OUR PART TO
STRENGTHEN OUR SCHOOLS.
- 18 -
THAT'S WHY I AM ANNOUNCING TONIGHT THE CREATION OF
AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE -- MY FIRST AS PRESIDENT -- TO
FOCUS ON EDUCATION: THE PRESIDENT'S EDUCATION POLICY
ADVISORY COMMITTEE.
I'LL CALL ON THIS COMMITTEE TO BRING ME INNOVATIVE
IDEAS -- TO BRING TOGETHER LEADERS FROM BUSINESS AND
LABOR, EDUCATORS AT EVERY LEVEL, STATE AND LOCAL
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, AND THE MEDIA IN A PARTNERSHIP TO
IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS.
- 19 -
THE STUDENTS WHO NEED OUR HELP CAN'T WAIT.
IT'S EARLY JUNE. SCHOOL'S ABOUT TO END FOR THE
YEAR. ON GRADUATION DAY, HOW MANY KIDS WON'T BE
WALKING ACROSS THAT STAGE TO GET THEIR DIPLOMA? How
MANY CHILDREN WHO WALK OUT OF THAT CLASSROOM A FEW
WEEKS FROM NOW WON'T BE BACK IN SEPTEMBER? How MANY
WILL GET THAT DEGREE, AND GO OUT INTO THE WORLD -- COME
TO WORK IN YOUR COMPANIES -- WITHOUT THE SKILLS THEY
NEED?
- 20 -
EVEN A SINGLE YOUNG MAN OR WOMAN IS ONE TOO MANY --
AND YET THERE ARE MILLIONS.
EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM SHARES MY CONCERN. TONIGHT,
I WANT TO ISSUE A CHALLENGE -- A CORPORATE CALL TO
ACTION -- FOUR WAYS YOU CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE.
O START BY RAISING LITERACY LEVELS. SOMEONE ONCE
ASKED BEN FRANKLIN WHO HE THOUGHT WAS THE MOST PITIFUL
MAN IN THE WORLD. FRANKLIN SAID: "A LONESOME MAN ON A
RAINY DAY WHO DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO READ. "
- 21 -
FRANKLIN UNDERSTOOD THAT LITERACY IS AN OPEN DOOR
TO OPPORTUNITY AND SELF-KNOWLEDGE -- TO HISTORY,
CULTURE, AND A WORLD OF EXPERIENCE.
BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE: READING ISN'T JUST A RAINY
DAY DIVERSION. READING IS A SURVIVAL SKILL. How CAN
OUR YOUNG PEOPLE DO THE JOB IF THEY CAN'T READ THE JOB
APPLICATION?
SOME OF YOU HAVE SPOKEN TO ME ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.
- 22 -
TONIGHT, I ASK ALL OF YOU TO START AT HOME -- IN YOUR
OFFICES, ON THE SHOP FLOOR. MAKE IT YOUR BUSINESS TO
HELP EVERY EMPLOYEE WHO CAN'T READ, BUT WANTS
DESPERATELY TO LEARN.
o SECOND, LET'S RAISE OUR SIGHTS -- AND OUR STANDARDS.
ALL OF YOU KNOW THE KIND OF NEW EMPLOYEES YOU'RE
LOOKING FOR.
- 23 -
THAT'S WHY IT MAKES SENSE TO WORK WITH THE SCHOOLS TO
CREATE PROGRAMS THAT DEVELOP SKILLS FOR THE REAL
WORLD -- FOR THE MILLIONS OF NEW JOBS OUR ECONOMY IS
CREATING EACH YEAR.
ALL OF YOU KNOW HOW DIFFICULT IT IS FOR YOUR
COMPANIES TO KEEP PACE IN A WORLD WHERE CHANGE IS
MEASURED IN MILLISECONDS.
- 24 -
WE MUST DO ALL WE CAN TO EQUIP OUR CHILDREN --- OUR
FUTURE WORKFORCE -- WITH THE THINKING SKILLS THEY'LL
NEED TO MAKE CAREERS IN THE INFORMATION AGE.
AND YOU CAN'T START TOO EARLY. IBM IS WORKING IN
PARTNERSHIP WITH HEAD START IN BALTIMORE, TEACHING 4-
YEAR-OLDS HOW TO USE COMPUTERS. LISTEN TO WHAT ONE
MOTHER SAYS: "THE COMPUTER WILL BE JUST LIKE THE
TELEPHONE. EVERYONE WILL HAVE ONE. MY KIDS HAVE TO
LEARN THIS -- AND SO DO I."
- 25 -
MANY OF US GREW UP IN A TIME WHEN A WORKER COULD
SPEND AN ENTIRE CAREER IN THE SAME JOB. THOSE DAYS ARE
ENDING. WORKERS ENTERING THE ECONOMY TODAY CAN EXPECT
TO TRAIN AND RETRAIN SEVERAL TIMES TO KEEP PACE WITH
CHANGING WORK CONDITIONS. It's UP TO OUR CORPORATIONS
TO CREATE A WORKING ENVIRONMENT WHERE EMPLOYEE
EDUCATION AND TRAINING NEVER STOPS. FROM NOW ON IN
AMERICA, LEARNING MUST BE A LIFE-LONG OCCUPATION.
- 26 -
0 THIRD, I CHALLENGE EVERY CEO IN THIS ROOM TODAY TO
GET INVOLVED -- PERSONALLY INVOLVED -- WITH THE SCHOOLS
IN YOUR COMMUNITY. WALK INTO THAT CLASSROOM NOT AS A
CEO -- BUT AS A CONCERNED PARENT, AS A GOOD CITIZEN IN
YOUR COMMUNITY. I KNOW YOU AND YOUR COMPANIES ARE
DOING A GREAT DEAL NOW TO IMPROVE OUR SCHOOLS. BUT
TAKE IT PERSONALLY: BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE.
- 27 -
LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT A BUSINESSMAN FROM LOUISIANA
WHO DID JUST THAT. PATRICK TAYLOR WALKED INTO ONE OF
THE WORST SCHOOLS IN NEW ORLEANS, AND MADE A PROMISE TO
THE ENTIRE 8TH GRADE CLASS -- OVER 200 KIDS. HE TOLD
THEM IF THEY KEPT UP A B AVERAGE AND GRADUATED -- HE'D
GUARANTEE THEY'D GET TO COLLEGE.
HERE'S HOW HE LOOKS AT IT: "You DON'T ALWAYS GET
FROM INDIVIDUALS WHAT YOU EXPECT. BUT IF YOU EXPECT
NOTHING -- YOU'RE GOING TO GET NOTHING."
- 28 - -
PAT TAYLOR IS TELLING THOSE KIDS THEY'VE GOT A FUTURE -
- AND HE'S READY TO HELP THEM GET THERE.
0 Now, MY FINAL CHALLENGE. EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS
HERE BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW MUCH EDUCATION MATTERS. I
WANT YOU TO TAKE A MESSAGE TO THE COMPANIES WHO AREN'T
HERE TONIGHT. REACH OUT --BRING OTHERS IN THE BUSINESS
COMMUNITY ON BOARD. I WANT TO SEE ALL OF AMERICA'S
CORPORATIONS INVOLVED IN A TRULY COMMON EFFORT.
- 29 -
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT THE ENERGY AND THE INGENUITY TO
MEET THESE CHALLENGES. START NOW. I WANT TO HEAR FROM
YOU NEXT LABOR DAY -- SEE YOUR REPORT CARD -- YOUR
ACTION PLAN FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION.
- 31 -
YOU'VE TAKEN YOUR SKILLS AND RESOURCES INTO OUR
CLASSROOMS, BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE BOTTOM LINE: WE CAN'T
HAVE A WORLD-CLASS ECONOMY WITH SECOND-CLASS SCHOOLS.
I WANT YOU TO TAKE THESE CHALLENGES TO HEART -- AND
BUILD ON THE FINE WORK YOU'RE DOING TODAY. THANK YOU,
AND GOD BLESS YOU.
# # #
-- and all of us can do our part to strengthen our schools.
That's why I am announcing tonight the creation of an
advisory committee -- my first as president -- to focus on
brung me
education: the President's Education Policy Advisory Committee.
I'll call on this committee to act as 25 clearing house for
innovative ideas -- to bring together leaders from business and
labor, educators at every level, state and local government
officials, and the media in a partnership to improve our schools.
The students
Document No.
041159SS
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE: 6/3/89
--
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE EDUCATION FORUM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
SUBJECT:
JUNE 5, 1989
(6/3 - 9:00 a.m. draft 3)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
PINKERTON
V
DEMAREST
BOSKIN
FITZWATER
PETERSMEYER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
The attached has been forwarded to the President.
RESPONSE:
James W, Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
McGroarty/Dooley
June 3, 1989
9:00 am
Draft 3
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE EDUCATION FORUM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JUNE 5, 1989
Thank you, Ed. I know all of you have spent the afternoon
brainstorming on ways the business community can improve
education.
I spent some time today thinking about the trip I've just
completed, and what I'd be saying here tonight. My message in
Europe was one of change, opportunity -- and the challenge we
face in moving towards a future of freedom, prosperity and peace.
That's a challenge that underscores the importance of
education: Education as a means of equipping ourselves to excel
in an increasingly competitive global market. Education as the
root of mutual understanding -- another step towards peace in our
world.
A
Tonight, I want to focus on the partnership we can build to
create the world-class education system this nation needs.
A gathering like this is a good sign. We've got the
Business Roundtable, the Chamber of Commerce, the National
Association of Manufacturers and the American Business Conference
coming together on a matter of urgent concern to all of us.
Our schools are in trouble -- real trouble. That means our
kids are in trouble, too. So what are we going to do about it?
Well, together, we can lead a nationwide crusade for excellence
in education.
2
((You won't find too many times when the subject is
education that I'll come out against studying -- but this is one
of them. ))
We've spent plenty of time studying the problem -- hundreds
of studies in the past few years alone showing that our schools
don't measure up. We've all heard the stories about kids who
can't find the U.S. on a map. We've all seen the low test
scores.
The time for study is past. It's time to take action.
Improving our schools is going to take a national effort,
one that involves all levels of government, parents and local
communities, and the private sector as well. And it's going to
take an honest effort. If we're serious about excellence in
education, we've got to put politics on the back burner.
I've heard plenty of complaints that we're not spending
enough. The fact is, as a nation, we devote more than $300
billion a year to educating our children. That's not stingy --
it's staggering. The resources are there. It's how we put those
resources to work that counts.
And there's something more we need to recognize. We can
multiply success. There's no monopoly on ideas -- no one "right
answer" when it comes to improving our schools. We can learn
from one each other.
Just look at the states -- today's entrepreneurs of
education policy. We're witnessing the emergence of 50
laboratories of reform.
3
Federal leadership is crucial. As you know, we've
introduced a package of education initiatives designed to reward
excellence, improve accountability and promote quality schools
through choice. I expect our ideas to get a full and fair
hearing when Congress begins working on our bill next week.
Right now, I want to highlight an idea that's proved its
value in the business world -- an idea that can play a central
role in education as well. I'm talking about competition. The
business world knows that competition brings out the best -- in
individuals and institutions.
The same is true for our schools. Proof already exists:
America's post-secondary education system is widely recognized as
the strongest and most successful system in the world. It's also
extremely competitive. Schools compete to attract the best
students, and first-rate faculties.
And the plain fact is that this competition is not
destructive. Superior schools inspire others to reach for
excellence. Our elementary and secondary schools are the weak
links in our system. Competition and choice can help us make
them stronger.
But what government can do is only part of the story. In
the private sector -- in the American business community --
hundreds of companies and thousands of employees are going into
the classrooms to help children learn. You didn't wait for a
signal from Washington -- you saw an opportunity to help, and you
got involved. The numbers are impressive: 186 corporations from
4
the Business Roundtable alone, and hundreds of others as well.
That tells me that the great American tradition of serving others
is alive and thriving in corporate America.
Improving our schools is a national problem, but the search
for solutions must take place on the local level -- in our
communities.
Local solutions work. Last month I was up in Rochester, New
York, to visit the Wilson Magnet School -- a school that turned
itself around. Ten years ago, Wilson was plagued by crime,
plunging grades, and urban flight. Today, Wilson Magnet School
is one of the top-ranked high schools in the state of New York.
A night-and-day change: How did it happen? Over and over,
whoever I asked, I got one answer: commitment. Commitment on
the part of parents, teachers, and students. And commitment on
the part of the corporation that calls that community home.
Eastman-Kodak contributed the equipment and expertise that helped
bring learning alive for the kids at Wilson.
Today, Wilson has many more applicants than it has space for
students. It's a success story I'd like to see repeated across
this country -- and business played an important part.
Efforts like the one at Wilson -- like the ones your
companies are now engaged in -- are producing real, lasting
results, one school at a time, one student at a time. All of us
know the magnitude of the challenge.
The students who need our help can't wait.
5
It's early June. School's about to end for the year. On
graduation day, how many kids won't be walking across that stage
to get their diploma? How many children who walk out of that
classroom a few weeks from now won't be back in September? How
many will get that degree, and go out into the world -- come to
work in your companies -- without the skills they need?
Even a single young man or woman is one too many -- and yet
there are millions.
Everyone in this room shares my concern. Tonight, I want to
issue a challenge -- a corporate call to action -- four ways you
can make a real difference.
o Start by raising literacy levels. Someone once asked Ben
Franklin who he thought was the most pitiful man in the world.
Franklin said: "A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know
how to read.' "
Franklin understood that literacy is an open door to
opportunity and self-knowledge -- to history, culture, and a
world of experience.
But make no mistake: reading isn't just a rainy day
diversion. Reading is a survival skill. How can our young
people do the job if they can't read the job application?
Some of you have spoken to me about this problem. Tonight,
I ask all of you to start at home -- in your offices, on the shop
floor. Make it your business to help every employee who can't
read, but wants desperately to learn.
6
Second, let's raise our sights -- and our standards. All of
you know the kind of new employees you're looking for. That's
why it makes sense to work with the schools to create programs
that develop skills for the real world -- for the millions of new
jobs our economy is creating each year.
All of you know how difficult it is for your companies to
keep pace in a world where change is measured in milliseconds.
We must do all we can to equip our children -- our future
workforce -- with the thinking skills they'll need to make
careers in the information age.
And you can't start too early. IBM is working in
partnership with Head Start in Baltimore, teaching 4-year-olds
how to use computers. Listen to what one mother says: "The
computer will be just like the telephone. Everyone will have
one. My kids have to learn this -- and so do I."
Many of us grew up in a time when a worker could spend an
entire career in the same job. Those days are over. Workers
entering the economy today can expect to train and retrain
several times to keep pace with changing work conditions. It's
up to our corporations to create a working environment where
employee education and training never stops. From now on in
America, learning must be a life-long occupation.
o Third, I challenge every CEO in this room today to get
involved -- personally involved -- with the schools in your
community. Walk into that classroom not as a CEO -- but as a
concerned parent, as a good citizen in your community. I know
7
you and your companies are doing a great deal now to improve our
schools. But take it personally: be a catalyst for change.
Let me tell you about a businessman from Louisiana who did
just that. Patrick Taylor walked into one of the worst schools
in New Orleans, and made a promise to the entire 8th grade class
-- over 200 kids. He told them if they kept up a B average and
graduated -- he'd guarantee they'd get to college.
Here's how he looks at it: "You don't always get from
individuals what you expect. But if you expect nothing -- you're
going to get nothing." Pat Taylor is telling those kids they've
got a future -- and he's ready to help them get there.
O Now, my final challenge. Everyone in this room is here
because you know how much education matters. I want you to take
a message to the companies who aren't here tonight. Reach out --
bring others in the business community on board. I want to see
all of America's corporations involved in a truly common effort.
I know you've got the energy and the ingenuity to meet these
challenges. Start now. I want to hear from you next Labor Day -
- see your report card -- your action plan for excellence in
education.
You've taken your skills and resources into our classrooms,
because you know the bottom line: We can't have a world-class
economy with second-class schools.
I want you to take these challenges to heart -- and build on
the fine work you're doing today. Thank you, and God bless you.
#
#
#
Document No. 041159
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
6/1/89
6/1/89 5:00 PM
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: AMERICAN BUSINESS EDUCATION ROUNDTABLE
SUBJECT:
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN had not seen
5:10
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
NC
STUDDERT
NC
BATES
UNTERMEYER
ROGERS
BREEDEN
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
PINKERTON
N.C. BOSKIN
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
PETERSMEYER
NC
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward your comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm.
122, x2930, no later than 5:00 PM, TODAY, June 1, 1989, with
an info copy to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
James W, Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
MASTER
McGroarty/Dooley
1933
June 1, 1989
8:00 am
Draft 2
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE EDUCATION FORUM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JUNE 5, 1989
[Introductory acknowledgements
]
I know you've been at it for the past three hours,
brainstorming on ways the American business community can improve
education. I spent some time thinking this afternoon about the
trip I've just completed, and what I'd be saying here tonight.
My message in Europe was one of change, opportunity -- and the
challenge we face in moving towards a future of freedom,
prosperity and peace.
That's a challenge that underscores the importance of
education: Education as a means of equipping ourselves to excel
in an increasingly competitive global market. Education as the
root of mutual understanding -- the key to peace in our world.
Tonight, I want to focus on the partnership we can build to
create the world-class education system this nation needs.
A gathering like this is a good sign. We've got the
Business Roundtable, the Chamber of Commerce, the National
Association of Manufacturers and the American Business Conference
coming together on a matter of urgent concern to all of us.
Improving our schools is imperative. Nothing has greater
impact on the long-term health of this nation. Together, you can
be a powerful force for positive change -- leaders in a nation-
2
wide drive to make our goal, excellence in education, a classroom
reality.
((You won't find too many times when the subject is
education that I'll come out against studying -- but this is one
of them. ) )
We've spent plenty of time studying the problem -- hundreds
of studies in the past few years alone on why our schools aren't
measuring up, on what we're doing wrong. We've all heard the
stories about kids who can't find the United States on a map.
We've all seen the test scores: American students far down the
list compared to their peers in other industrialized nations.
The time for study is past. It's time to take action -- and
I commend all of you for the work your companies are already
doing to strengthen our nation's schools.
It's going to take a collective effort, one that involves
all levels of government, and the private sector as well.
And it's going to take an honest effort. If we're serious
about improving excellence in education, we've got to get past
the politics.
I've heard plenty of complaints that we're not spending
enough. The fact is, we're not stingy when it comes to
education. As a nation, we devote more than $300 billion a year
to educating our children. The resources are there. It's how we
put those resources to work that counts.
And there's something more we need to recognize. There's no
monopoly on ideas -- no one "right answer" when it comes to
3
improving our schools. Our success depends on how well we learn
from one other what works when it comes to improving education.
The states are emerging as leaders. We're witnessing the
emergence of 50 laboratories of reform. I know you heard from
Governor Bill Clinton today, about the efforts on-going in his
state of Arkansas.
Federal leadership is crucial. As you know, I've introduced
a package of education initiatives designed to encourage
excellence, expand accountability and to promote quality schools
through choice. I expect my ideas to get a full and fair hearing
when Congress begins working on my bill next week.
Right now, I want to highlight an idea that's proved its
value in the business world -- an idea that can play a central
role in education as well. I'm talking about competition. The
business world knows that competition brings out the best, in
individuals and institutions -- that competition spurs creativity
and innovation.
The
That same is true of competition in our education system.
Proof already exists: America's post-secondary education system
is widely recognized as the strongest and most successful system
in the world. It's also extremely competitive. Schools compete
to attract the best students and first-rate faculties. And the
plain fact is that this competition is not destructive. Superior
schools inspire others to reach for excellence themselves.
Our elementary and secondary schools are far less successful
-- and while some choice and competition now exists, more is
4
needed. That's why I support greater freedom for students and
parents in choosing a school -- and greater flexibility for
school systems to attract talented teachers and principles.
But what government can do is only part of the story. In
the private sector -- in the American business community --
hundreds of companies and thousands of corporate executives are
going into the classrooms to help children learn. You deserve
our thanks. You didn't wait for a signal from Washington -- you
saw an opportunity to help, and you got involved. The numbers
are impressive: 186 corporations from the Business Roundtable
alone, and hundreds of others as well.
Improving our schools is a national problem, but the search
for solutions must take place on the local level -- in our
communities.
Local solutions work. Last month I was up in Rochester, New
York, to visit the Wilson Magnet School -- a school that turned
itself around. Ten years ago, Wilson was plagued by crime,
plunging grades, and urban flight. Today, Wilson Magnet School
is the 9th-ranked high school in the state of New York.
A night-and-day change: How did it happen? Over and over,
whoever I asked, I got one answer: commitment. Commitment on
the part of parents, teachers, and students. And commitment on
the part of business leaders as well -- at Wilson, Eastman-Kodak.
What happened at Wilson is instructive. The community
refused to accept the status quo -- and they made it their
business to bring about change. Today, Wilson has many more
5
applicants than it has space for students. It's a success story
I'd like to see repeated across this country -- and business
played an important part.
Many of you here today have begun intensive "mentoring"
programs, a one-on-one approach that proves to a child that
someone cares enough to help him learn. Some of your companies
have adopted schools, supplying equipment and expertise, opening
a new world of educational experience.
Those efforts are producing real, lasting results, one
school at a time, one student at a time. But all of us know the
magnitude of the challenge. We know we have to move beyond a
band-aid approach, to the broad changes and long-term solutions
that will strengthen every school across this country.
The students who need our help can't wait. It's early June.
School's about to end for the year. On graduation day, how many
kids won't be walking across that stage to get their diploma?
How many children who walk out of that classroom a few weeks from
now won't be back in September? How many will get that degree,
and go out into the world -- come to work in your companies --
without the skills they need?
Even a single young man or woman is one too many -- and yet
there are millions.
Today, I want to ask you to join me in setting some
challenges for ourselves -- marking out a few areas where we can
redouble our efforts and make a real difference.
6
O Let's concentrate on cutting the drop-out rate. Today, it's
one in every four 17- and 18-year-olds: a million students a
year.
Let's not waste time worrying about what the drop-out rate
should be. It's too high. Let's get to work now to bring it
down. If it's 1 in 4, let's aim for 1 in 5. Doesn't sound like
much, does it? Well, that's 200,000 kids a year, staying in
school -- and staying on track to a far brighter future.
O Let's raise the literacy rate. Someone once asked Ben
Franklin who he thought was the most pitiful man in the world.
Franklin said: "A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know
how to read.'
Franklin understood that literacy is an open door to
advancement, enrichment and opportunity -- to history, culture,
and a world of experience.
But make no mistake: reading isn't just a rainy day
diversion. It's a survival skill. How can our young people do
the job if they can't read the job application?
O Let's raise our sights -- set higher standards. All of you
know the kind of new employees you're looking for. That's why it
makes sense to work with the schools, to create programs that
develop skills for the real world -- for the millions of new jobs
our economy is creating each year.
All of you know how difficult it is for your companies to
keep pace in a world where change is measured in milliseconds.
7
We must do all we can to equip our children with the thinking
skills they'll need to make careers in the information age.
Many of us grew up in a time when a worker could spend an
entire career in the same job. Those days are fading fast.
Workers entering the economy today can expect to train and
retrain several times to keep pace with changing work conditions.
For these workers, learning must be a life-long activity. It's
up to our corporations to create a working environment where
employee education and training never stops.
o Finally, I challenge every CEO in this room today to get
involved -- personally involved -- with the schools in your
community. It all comes back to commitment -- to what I learned
at the Wilson Magnet School. Your commitment motivates others.
Let your communities see that you take an active interest -- and
others in your community will follow your lead. I know you and
your companies are doing a great deal now to improve our schools.
But take it personally: be a catalyst for change.
Everyone in this room today knows the bottom line: You
can't be a world-class economy without a world-class education
system. You know that first-hand -- and that's why you've taken
your skills and resources into our schools.
Today's conference has brought you all together, given you
the chance to learn from each other -- to build a broad
partnership in improving American education. I want to thank you
for the work you're doing and I want you to take these
challenges to heart.
China Insert/Business Roundtable
And let me say a word about something that's on all our
minds: the tragic, deplorable events taking place in China. All
of us have seen the bravery and determination of the students and
workers -- their commitment to peaceful protest. Today, the
cameras brought home to us an image we won't forget: one lone
individual, standing in front of the tanks -- one lone individual
standing up for the freedoms we enjoy. He's not alone. The
whole world is watching.
McGroarty/Dooley
June 3, 1989
9:00 am
Draft 3
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE EDUCATION FORUM
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JUNE 5, 1989
Thank you, Ed. I know all of you have spent the afternoon
brainstorming on ways the business community can improve
education.
I spent some time today thinking about the trip I've just
the spentof Bussels
completed, and what I'd be saying here tonight. My message in (Gold)
Europe was one of change, opportunity -- and the challenge we
face in moving towards a future of freedom, prosperity and peace.
That's a challenge that underscores the importance of
education: Education as a means of equipping ourselves to excel
in an increasingly competitive global market. Education as the
root of mutual understanding -- another step towards peace in our
world.
Tonight, I want to focus on the partnership we can build to
create the world-class education system this nation needs.
A gathering like this is a good sign. We've got the
Business Roundtable, the Chamber of Commerce, the National
Association of Manufacturers and the American Business Conference
coming together on a matter of urgent concern to all of us.
Our schools are in trouble -- real trouble. That means our
kids are in trouble, too. So what are we going to do about it?
Well, together, we can lead a nationwide crusade for excellence
in education.
2
((You won't find too many times when the subject is
education that I'll come out against studying -- but this is one
of them.) )
We've spent plenty of time studying the problem -- hundreds
of studies in the past few years alone showing that our schools
don't measure up. We've all heard the stories about kids who
can't find the U.S. on a map. We've all seen the low test
scores.
The time for study is past. It's time to take action.
Improving our schools is going to take a national effort,
one that involves all levels of government, parents and local
communities, and the private sector as well. And it's going to
take an honest effort. [If we're serious about excellence in
Bold
education, we've got to put politics on the back burner.
I've heard plenty of complaints that we're not spending
kat we spend more than congrettons
enough. The fact is, as a nation, we devote more than $300
and
billion a year to educating our children. That's not stingy --
bold
it's staggering.) The resources are there. It's how we put those
resources to work that counts.
And there's something more we need to recognize. We can
multiply success. There's no monopoly on ideas -- no one "right
answer" when it comes to improving our schools. We can learn
from one each other.
Just look at the states -- today's entrepreneurs of
education policy. We're witnessing the emergence of 50
laboratories of reform.
3
Federal leadership is crucial. As you know, we've
introduced a package of education initiatives designed to reward
excellence, improve accountability and promote quality schools
through choice. I expect our ideas to get a full and fair
hearing when Congress begins working on our bill next week.
Right now, I want to highlight an idea that's proved its
value in the business world -- an idea that can play a central
role in education as well. I'm talking about competition. The
business world knows that competition brings out the best -- in
individuals and institutions.
The same is true for our schools. Proof already exists:
America's post-secondary education system is widely recognized as
the strongest and most successful system in the world. It's also
extremely competitive. Schools compete to attract the best
students, and first-rate faculties.
good.
And the plain fact is that this competition is not
destructive, Superior schools inspire others to reach for
excellence. Our elementary and secondary schools are the weak
links in our system. Competition and choice can help us make
them stronger.
But what government can do is only part of the story. In
the private sector -- in the American business community --
hundreds of companies and thousands of employees are going into
the classrooms to help children learn. You didn't wait for a
signal from Washington -- you saw an opportunity to help, and you
got involved. The numbers are impressive: 186 corporations from
4
the Business Roundtable alone, and hundreds of others as well.
That tells me that the great American tradition of serving others
is alive and thriving in corporate America.
Improving our schools is a national problem, but the search
for solutions must take place on the local level -- in our
communities.
Bold Local solutions work Last month I was up in Rochester, New
York, to visit the Wilson Magnet School -- a school that turned
itself around. Ten years ago, Wilson was plagued by crime,
plunging grades, and urban flight. Today, Wilson Magnet School
is one of the top-ranked high schools in the state of New York.
A night-and-day change: How did it happen? Over and over,
whoever I asked, I got one answer: commitment. Commitment on
the part of parents, teachers, and students. And commitment on
the part of the corporation that calls that community home.
Eastman-Kodak contributed the equipment and expertise that helped
bring learning alive for the kids at Wilson.
Today, Wilson has many more applicants than it has space for
students. It's a success story I'd like to see repeated across
this country -- and business played an important part.
Efforts like the one at Wilson -- like the ones your
companies are now engaged in -- are producing real, lasting
results, one school at a time, one student at a time. All of us
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know the magnitude of the challenge Fand the need for a connon effort
The students who need our help can't wait.
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It's early June. School's about to end for the year. On
graduation day, how many kids won't be walking across that stage
to get their diploma? How many children who walk out of that
classroom a few weeks from now won't be back in September? How
many will get that degree, and go out into the world -- come to
work in your companies -- without the skills they need?
Even a single young man or woman is one too many -- and yet
there are millions.
Everyone in this room shares my concern. Tonight, I want to
issue a challenge -- a corporate call to action -- four ways you
can make a real difference.
o Start by raising literacy levels. Someone once asked Ben
Franklin who he thought was the most pitiful man in the world.
Franklin said: "A lonesome man on a rainy day who does not know
how to read."
Franklin understood that literacy is an open door to
opportunity and self-knowledge -- to history, culture, and a
world of experience.
But make no mistake: reading isn't just a rainy day
diversion. Reading is a survival skill. How can our young
people do the job if they can't read the job application?
Some of you have spoken to me about this problem. Tonight,
I ask all of you to start at home -- in your offices, on the shop
floor. Make it your business to help every employee who can't
read, but wants desperately to learn.
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o
Second, let's raise our sights -- and our standards. All of
you know the kind of new employees you're looking for. That's
why it makes sense to work with the schools to create programs
that develop skills for the real world -- for the millions of new
jobs our economy is creating each year.
All of you know how difficult it is for your companies to
keep pace in a world where change is measured in milliseconds.
We must do all we can to equip our children -- our future
workforce -- with the thinking skills they'll need to make
careers in the information age.
And you can't start too early. IBM is working in
partnership with Head Start in Baltimore, teaching 4-year-olds
how to use computers. Listen to what one mother says: "The
computer will be just like the telephone. Everyone will have
one. My kids have to learn this -- and so do I."
Many of us grew up in a time when a worker could spend an
ending
entire career in the same job. Those days are over. Workers
entering the economy today can expect to train and retrain
several times to keep pace with changing work conditions. It's
up to our corporations to create a working environment where
employee education and training never stops. From now on in
America, learning must be a life-long occupation.
O Third, I challenge every CEO in this room today to get
involved -- personally involved -- with the schools in your
community. Walk into that classroom not as a CEO -- but as a
concerned parent, as a good citizen in your community. I know
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you and your companies are doing a great deal now to improve our
schools. But take it personally: be a catalyst for change.
Let me tell you about a businessman from Louisiana who did
just that. Patrick Taylor walked into one of the worst schools
in New Orleans, and made a promise to the entire 8th grade class
-- over 200 kids. He told them if they kept up a B average and
graduated -- he'd guarantee they'd get to college.
Here's how he looks at it: "You don't always get from
individuals what you expect. But if you expect nothing -- you're
going to get nothing." Pat Taylor is telling those kids they've
got a future -- and he's ready to help them get there.
O Now, my final challenge. Everyone in this room is here
because you know how much education matters. I want you to take
a message to the companies who aren't here tonight. Reach out --
bring others in the business community on board. I want to see
all of America's corporations involved in a truly common effort.
I know you've got the energy and the ingenuity to meet these
challenges. Start now. I want to hear from you next Labor Day -
- see your report card -- your action plan for excellence in
education.
And if I don't hear from you, I'll get Barbara Bush on your
case. Incidentally, she has told me over and over again about
many of you, of your personal and company's interest in literacy
and education in general. She is a real cheerleader for those
already so constructively involved.
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You've taken your skills and resources into our classrooms,
because you know the bottom line: We can't have a world-class
economy with second-class schools.
I want you to take these challenges to heart -- and build on
the fine work you're doing today. Thank you, and God bless you.
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