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administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
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Record Group/Collection:
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Speechwriting, White House Office of
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Speech File Draft Files
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13504-009
Folder Title:
Opening Address-Education Summit 9/27/89 [OA 4390 ]
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25
6
5
3
Document No.
075340
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/26/89
--
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS FOR THE EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABEL HALL
SUBJECT:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
(9/22 - draft five)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
4
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ANDERSON
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
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
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
25
P7:
18
September 25, 1989
INFORMATION
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
THROUGH:
CHRISS WINSTON
cw
FROM:
MARY KATE GRANT mkg
SUBJECT:
OPENING STATEMENT FOR EDUCATION SUMMIT
I. SUMMARY
Attached for your review are proposed remarks for the
opening session of the Education Summit. You will deliver the
speech on cards in Old Cabell Hall, before the Governors, members
of the Cabinet and the press. It will also be broadcast outside
on the Lawn to students.
II. DISCUSSION
This will be the only Wednesday event from the Education
Summit timed to make the network news. As a result, we have
tried to 1) point out the problems in education without invoking
"crisis" language; 2) spell out the goals of the Education
Summit with respect to these problems; and 3) include the
governors in the solution.
Because the students will be outside Cabell Hall, listening
to the address on the Lawn, we have added a few lines to get them
cheering. There will be protestors among them, and we'd like to
take the wind out of their sails if we can.
((Grant/Martin))
September 22, 1989
Draft five
A:opening
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
[Members of the Cabinet, Governor Bradstad, Governors
Clinton and Campbell, distinguished Governors, President O'Neill,
members of the faculty, and friends
Thank you and welcome.]
Welcome to "Mr. Jefferson's University," the alma mater of
President Woodrow Wilson; Virginia's gracious governor, Gerry
Baliles; and both of its U.S. Senators.
I call it "Mr. Jefferson's University," as nearly everyone
does in Charlottesville. In fact, President William Howard Taft
said once that they still spoke of Mr. Jefferson here as though
he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the Lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism, and the
inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not
see realized in his lifetime. But one which has, over the past
200 years, been fulfilled: a vision of a strong public education
system in this country. It is a system that has brought
Americans from all walks of life together, and enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves
a system that
2
has given us Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk and
Sandra Day O'Connor
a system unparalled in the world.
But today, millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society.
Drugs have invaded our classrooms, and violence has entered our
schoolyards. Clearly, the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so you have accepted my invitation to come together for
open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. I am grateful to each of you, and I appreciate the
depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here today.
Education isn't a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an
American issue, and everyone in this room is committed to
educational excellence. We all know too much is at stake to let
partisanship get in the way of progress.
The call was sounded in 1983, when the Reagan Administration
warned in its historic education report that we were "A Nation at
Risk." That report awakened Americans to the situation in our
schools, and the alarm bells rang. Everyone now knows what the
problems are -- and no one is here to point fingers. But for the
good of our children's education, for the good of the country, we
must decide on a course of action. The time for study is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational system,
but there is no one federal solution. Yes, the federal
government has an important role to play -- which is why I am
here, and why my Cabinet is here. We will work with you, to help
3
find answers. But I firmly believe that the key will be found at
the state and local levels.
You are the ones, as governors, who are on the firing line.
You see what goes on in the classrooms, in the local school
boards, and in your state-level policymaking sessions. Truly,
the states are the laboratories of reform in this country, and
you are the experts.
But we must work together, the States -- governors, mayors,
state legislators -- and the Federal government. We must work
together over the next two days
but more importantly, over
the next few years. We will talk about many issues -- most
importantly, choice, competitiveness, teaching quality, and
improving the learning environment.
Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards and a
results-oriented system -- all of these must be on the table.
What I am seeking at this summit is not just dialogue but a new
sense of direction. We've got to challenge the education system
if we are to meet the challenge of educational excellence. It's
time to stop debating over commissions and studies -- and set
priorities. It's time to get on with it.
Shortly, we will leave this hall and walk down the Lawn to
the Rotunda, for the first of our working group meetings. On the
way, we will walk past Pavilion VII, known as the Colonnade Club.
The cornerstone of that building was laid by three great
Americans
Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
4
As you walk past the Colonnade Club, let us think of these
three men and what they envisioned for this Republic. Think of
the schools the Founders sought to establish to develop the
character of students, with values like honesty, discipline and
public service. Let us work together these next two days in
frankness and honesty -- and let us not be afraid, as Mr.
Jefferson said, to follow truth wherever it may lead.
God bless you and thank you.
###
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
TO: Kim
FROM:
PETER BRIGHTBILL
Legislative Affairs
The Office of Legislative Affairs has
no comment on:
1) Opening address at the Education
summit
2) World Bank/IMF speech
Per Rob Portman
Thank you
CC. Jim Cicconi
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
25
P7:48
of
September 25, 1989
INFORMATION
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
THROUGH:
CHRISS WINSTON
cw
q-26
FROM:
MARY KATE GRANT mkg
SUBJECT:
OPENING STATEMENT FOR EDUCATION SUMMIT
I. SUMMARY
Attached for your review are proposed remarks for the
opening session of the Education Summit. You will deliver the
speech on cards in Old Cabell Hall, before the Governors, members
of the Cabinet and the press. It will also be broadcast outside
on the Lawn to students.
II. DISCUSSION
This will be the only Wednesday event from the Education
Summit timed to make the network news. As a result, we have
tried to 1) point out the problems in education without invoking
"crisis" language; 2) spell out the goals of the Education
Summit with respect to these problems; and 3) include the
governors in the solution.
Because the students will be outside Cabell Hall, listening
to the address on the Lawn, we have added a few lines to get them
cheering. There will be protestors among them, and we'd like to
take the wind out of their sails if we can.
((Grant/Martin))
September 22, 1989
Draft five
A:opening
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
[Members of the Cabinet, Governor Bradstad, Governors
Clinton and Campbell, distinguished Governors, President O'Neill,
members of the faculty, and friends
...
Thank you and welcome.]
Welcome to "Mr. Jefferson's University," the alma mater of
President Woodrow Wilson; Virginia's gracious governor, Gerry
Baliles; and both of its U.S. Senators.
I call it "Mr. Jefferson's University," as nearly everyone
does in Charlottesville. In fact, President William Howard Taft
said once that they still spoke of Mr. Jefferson here as though
he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the Lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism, and the
inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not
see realized in his lifetime. But one which has, over the past
200 years, been fulfilled: a vision of a strong public education
system in this country. It is a system that has brought
Americans from all walks of life together, and enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves
...
a system that
2
has given us Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk and
Sandra Day 'Connor
a system unparalled in the world.
But today, millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society.
Drugs have invaded our classrooms, and violence has entered our
schoolyards. Clearly, the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so you have accepted my invitation to come together for
open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. I am grateful to each of you, and I appreciate the
depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here today.
Education isn't a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an
American issue, and everyone in this room is committed to
educational excellence. We all know too much is at stake to let
partisanship get in the way of progress.
The call was sounded in 1983, when the Reagan Administration
warned in its historic education report that we were "A Nation at
Risk." That report awakened Americans to the situation in our
schools, and the alarm bells rang. Everyone now knows what the
problems are -- and no one is here to point fingers. But for the
good of our children's education, for the good of the country, we
must decide on a course of action. The time for study is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational system,
but there is no one federal solution. Yes, the federal
government has an important role to play -- which is why I am
here, and why my Cabinet is here. We will work with you, to help
3
find answers. But I firmly believe that the key will be found at
the state and local levels.
You are the ones, as governors, who are on the firing line.
You see what goes on in the classrooms, in the local school
boards, and in your state-level policymaking sessions. Truly,
the states are the laboratories of reform in this country, and
you are the experts.
But we must work together, the States -- governors, mayors,
state legislators -- and the Federal government. We must work
together over the next two days
but more importantly, over
the next few years. We will talk about many issues -- most
importantly, choice, competitiveness, teaching quality, and
improving the learning environment.
Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards and a
results-oriented system -- all of these must be on the table.
What I am seeking at this summit is not just dialogue but a new
sense of direction. We've got to challenge the education system
if we are to meet the challenge of educational excellence. It's
time to stop debating over commissions and studies -- and set
priorities. It's time to get on with it.
Shortly, we will leave this hall and walk down the Lawn to
the Rotunda, for the first of our working group meetings. On the
way, we will walk past Pavilion VII, known as the Colonnade Club.
The cornerstone of that building was laid by three great
Americans
Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
4
As you walk past the Colonnade Club, let us think of these
three men and what they envisioned for this Republic. Think of
the schools the Founders sought to establish to develop the
character of students, with values like honesty, discipline and
public service. Let us work together these next two days in
frankness and honesty -- and let us not be afraid, as Mr.
Jefferson said, to follow truth wherever it may lead.
God bless you and thank you.
###
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/22/89
9/25/89 - 2:00 P.M.
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
OPENING ADDRESS EDUCATION SUMMIT
SUBJECT:
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
(9/22 - draft three)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
N/C
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
N/C
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ANDERSON
CARD
ROGERS
WINSTON
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 2:00 P.M., Monday, September 25, with a copy
to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
E/
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
( (Grant) )
September 22, 1989
Draft three
A:opening
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
33 SEP22 P3:
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
Governor Bronstad,
[Members of the Cabinet, Governors Clinton and Campbell,
distinguished Governors, President O'Neill, members of the
faculty, and friends ... Thank you and welcome.]
Welcome to "Mr. Jefferson's University," the alma mater of
President Woodrow Wilson; Virginia's gracious governor, Gerry
of
Baliles; and both, its U.S. Senators.
I call it "Mr. Jefferson's University," as nearly everyone
does in Charlottesville. In fact, President William Howard Taft
said once that they still spoke of Mr. Jefferson here as though
he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the Lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism, and the
inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not
see realized in his lifetime. But one which has, over the past
200 years, been fulfilled: a vision of a strong public education
system in this country. It is a system that has brought
Americans from all walks of life together, and enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves
...
a system that
2
has given us Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk and
Sandra Day O'Connor ... a system unparalled in the world
in
which over 180 million Americans have been enrolled over the last
century alone.
But today, millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society.
Drugs have invaded our classrooms, and violence has entered our
schoolyards. Clearly, the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so you have accepted my invitation to come together for
open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. I am grateful to each of you, and I appreciate the
depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here today.
Education isn't a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an
American issue, and everyone in this room is committed to
educational excellence. We all know too much is at stake to let
partisanship get in the way of progress.
3
The call was sounded in 1984, when the Reagan Administration
warned in its historic education report that we were "A Nation at
Risk. " That report awakened Americans to the situation in our
schools, and the alarm bells rang. Everyone now knows what the
problems are -- and no one is here to point fingers. But for the
good of our children's education, for the good of the country, we
must decide on a course of action. The time for study is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational system,
but there is no one federal solution. Yes, the federal
3
government has an important role to play -- which is why I am
here, and why my Cabinet is here. We will work with you, to help
find answers. But I firmly believe that the key will be found at
the state and local levels.
You are the ones, as governors, who are on the firing line.
You see what goes on in the classrooms, in the local school
boards, and in your state-level policymaking sessions. Truly,
the states are the laboratories of reform in this country, and
you are the experts.
- - - governors mayors, state
legislators
But we must work together, the States and the Federal
and 1100 & gears.
government. We must work together over the next two days, We
will talk about many issues -- most importantly, choice,
competitiveness, teaching quality, and improving the learning
environment.
Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards and a
results-oriented system -- all of these must be on the table.
What I am seeking at this summit is not just dialogue but a new
sense of direction.
We've got to challenge the education system if we are to
meet the challenge of educational excellence. It's time to stop
debating over commissions and studies -- and set priorities.
It's time to get on with it.
Shortly, we will leave this hall and walk down the Lawn to
the Rotunda, for the first of our working group meetings. On the
way, we will walk past Pavilion VII, known as the Colonnade Club.
but more im par tantly, over
next few
the comma years.
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/22/89
9/25/89 - 2:00 P.M.
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS EDUCATION SUMMIT
SUBJECT:
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
(9/22 - draft three)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ANDERSON
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 2:00 P.M., Monday, September 25, with a copy
to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
SEP 25 P3:09
See 68 Comments 9/25/89.
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
UNITED STATES OF K
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
September 25, 1989
MEMORANDUM
To:
Denise Schwartz
Office of Cabinet Affairs
From:
Chino Chapa CC.
Acting Chief of Staff
Subject: The President's Opening Address on September 27
Overall the comments are very good. The only change to be made
is on page 2 where the report, "A Nation at Risk" is mentioned.
The year of its release is 1983 and not 1984.
Thanks.
400 MARYLAND AVE., S.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20202-0100
PO1 WA 10:97 68 69'92'60 25. '60
( (Grant))
September 22, 1989
Draft three
A:opening
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
03 SEP 22 P3:
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
[Members of the Cabinet, Governors Clinton and Campbell,
distinguished Governors, President O'Neill, members of the
faculty, and friends ... Thank you and welcome.]
Welcome to "Mr. Jefferson's University," the alma mater of
President Woodrow Wilson; Virginia's gracious governor, Gerry
Baliles; and both its U.S. Senators.
I call it "Mr. Jefferson's University," as nearly everyone
does in Charlottesville. In fact, President William Howard Taft
said once that they still spoke of Mr. Jefferson here as though
he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the Lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism, and the
inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not
see realized in his lifetime. But one which has, over the past
200 years, been fulfilled: a vision of a strong public education
system in this country. It is a system that has brought
Americans from all walks of life together, and enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves
a system that
2
has given us Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk and
Sandra Day O'Connor
a system unparalled in the world
in
which over 180 million Americans have been enrolled over the last
century alone.
But today, millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society.
Drugs have invaded our classrooms, and violence has entered our
schoolyards. Clearly, the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so you have accepted my invitation to come together for
open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. I am grateful to each of you, and I appreciate the
depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here today.
Education isn't a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an
American issue, and everyone in this room is committed to
educational excellence. We all know too much is at stake to let
partisanship get in the way of progress.
The call was sounded in 1984, when the Reagan Administration
warned in its historic education report that we were "A Nation at
Risk." That report awakened Americans to the situation in our
schools, and the alarm bells rang. Everyone now knows what the
problems are -- and no one is here to point fingers. But for the
good of our children's education, for the good of the country, we
must decide on a course of action. The time for study is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational system,
but there is no one federal solution. Yes, the federal
3
government has an important role to play -- which is why I am
here, and why my Cabinet is here. We will work with you, to help
find answers. But I firmly believe that the key will be found at
the state and local levels.
You are the ones, as governors, who are on the firing line.
You see what goes on in the classrooms, in the local school
boards, and in your state-level policymaking sessions. Truly,
the states are the laboratories of reform in this country, and
you are the experts.
But we must work together, the States and the Federal
government. We must work together over the next two days. We
will talk about many issues -- most importantly, choice,
competitiveness, teaching quality, and improving the learning
environment.
Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards and a
results-oriented system -- all of these must be on the table.
What I am seeking at this summit is not just dialogue but a new
sense of direction.
We've got to challenge the education system if we are to
meet the challenge of educational excellence. It's time to stop
debating over commissions and studies -- and set priorities.
It's time to get on with it.
Shortly, we will leave this hall and walk down the Lawn to
the Rotunda, for the first of our working group meetings. On the
way, we will walk past Pavilion VII, known as the Colonnade Club.
4
The cornerstone of that building was laid by three great
Americans
...
Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
As you walk past the Colonnade Club, let us think of these
three men and what they envisioned for this Republic. Think of
the schools the Founders sought to establish to develop the
character of students, with values like honesty, discipline and
public service. Let us work together these next two days in
frankness and honesty -- and let us not be afraid, as Mr.
Jefferson said, to follow truth wherever it may lead.
God bless you and thank you.
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
(Charlottesville, Virginia)
For Immediate Release
September 27, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN WELCOMING ADDRESS TO GOVERNORS
Old Cabell Hall
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
3:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for that warm welcome.
Secretary Cavazos, thank you, sir, and to the other members of the
Cabinet. And Governor Branstad, and Governors Clinton and Campbell,
all the governors. President O'Neil especially, who is moving out of
his house so Barbara and I can stay there -- beyond the call of duty.
Members of the faculty and friends, thank you. And let me say, as I
guess the host of this, welcome -- welcome to Mr. Jefferson's
university -- the alma mater of President Woodrow Wilson. To
Virginia's gracious Governor, Jerry Baliles, my thanks to you, sir.
Our Senators -- I don't know if they made it -- Chuck Robb and John
Warner, but I know they plan to come. And, of course, Congressman
for this district, French Slaughter.
I call it Mr. Jefferson's university, as nearly everyone
else does in this marvelous city of Charlottesville. In fact,
President Taft said once that they still spoke about Mr. Jefferson as
though he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism and
the inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not see
realized in his lifetime, but one which has over the past 200 years
been fulfilled -- a vision of strong public education, a public
education system in this country second to none. It's a system that
has brought Americans from all walks of life together; enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves; a system that has
given us Neil Armstrong, and Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk, Sandra
Day O'Connor -- a system unparalled in the world.
But today millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society as
well. Drugs have invaded our classrooms, violence has entered our
school yards, and clearly the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so, the Governors have accepted my invitation to come
together for open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. And I am grateful to each and every one of you, and I
appreciate the depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here
today.
This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. And it's
not administration versus the Governors. It's an American issue.
And everyone in this room is committed -- or you wouldn't be here --
to educational excellence. And we all know too much is at stake to
let partisanship get in the way of progress.
This call was sounded in 1983, in the previous
administration, in the Reagan administration, when warned in its
MORE
- 2 -
historic education report that we are indeed a nation at risk. And
that report awakened Americans to the situation in our schools, and
then those alarm bells began to ring. And everyone now knows what
the problems are. And no one came here to point fingers. But for
the good of our children's education, for the good of the country, if
you will, we must decide on a course of action. The time for study
is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational
system, but there is no one federal solution. The federal government
of course has a very important role to play, which is why I'm here
and why so many members of our Cabinet are here. And we're going to
work with you to help find answers.
But I firmly believe that the key will be found at the
state and local levels. You are the ones, as Governors, who are out
there on the firing line. And you see what goes on in the classrooms
and in the local school boards and in your state policymaking
sessions. Truly, the states are the laboratories of reform in this
country and you are the experts.
But we've got to work together the states, Governors,
mayors, state legislators and the federal government. We must work
together over the next two days. But more importantly, over the next
several years.
We're going to talk about many issues -- most
importantly, choice and competitiveness and teaching quality and
improving the learning environment. Accountability, flexibility,
tougher standards, a results-oriented system -- all of these have got
to be out there on the table.
And what I'm seeking at this summit is not just dialogue,
but a new sense of direction. We've got to challenge the education
system if we're to meet the challenge of educational excellence.
It's time to stop debating over commissions and studies and set
priorities, and it's time to get on with it.
Shortly we're going to leave this hall and walk down the
lawn to the Rotunda for the first of our working group meetings. On
the way we will pass -- walk past Pavillion Seven, known as the
Colonnade Club. The cornerstone of that building was laid by three
great Americans Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. And as
you walk past that Colonnade Club, let us think of these three men
and what they envisioned for the Republic. Think of the schools the
founders sought to establish to develop the character of students
with values like honesty and discipline and public service. And let
us work together these next two days in a spirit of total frankness,
total honesty. And let's not be afraid, as Mr. Jefferson said, to
follow truth, wherever it may lead.
Thank you all very much for coming. And Governors, I
look forward to working with you over the next couple of days here.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)
END
3:20 P.M. EDT
STATE TRAUTIVE UNITED OFFICE THE WIN RESIDENT
EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503
NOTICE:
Enclosed are comments from staff members of the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB) . Such comments do not necessarily
represent the official position of the Director of OMB or of the
Office of Management and Budget. If you wish to have the
Director's personal comments, please let me know -- and contact
me if you have any questions.
David J. Haun
Executive Assistant
to the Director
01:2d
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/22/89
9/25/89 - 2:00 P.M.
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS EDUCATION SUMMIT
SUBJECT:
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
(9/22 - draft three)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ANDERSON
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 2:00 P.M., Monday, September 25, with a copy
to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE: see comments
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
( (Grant) )
September 22, 1989
Draft three
A:opening
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
P3: 1
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
[Members of the Cabinet, Governors Clinton and Campbell,
distinguished Governors, President O'Neill, members of the
faculty, and friends
Thank you and welcome.]
Welcome to "Mr. Jefferson's University," the alma mater of
President Woodrow Wilson; Virginia's gracious governor, Gerry
Baliles; and bothVits U.S. Senators.
I call it "Mr. Jefferson's University," as nearly everyone
does in Charlottesville. In fact, President William Howard Taft
said once that they still spoke of Mr. Jefferson here as though
he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the Lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism, and the
inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not
see realized in his lifetime. But one which has, over the past
200 years, been fulfilled: a vision of a strong public education
system in this country. It is a system that has brought
Americans from all walks of life together, and enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves
a system that
2
has given us Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk and
Sandra Day 0' Connor
a system unparalled in the world
in.
which over 180 million Americans have been enrolled over the last
century alone.
But today, millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society.
Drugs have invaded our classrooms, and violence has entered our
schoolyards. Clearly, the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so you have accepted my invitation to come together for
open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. I am grateful to each of you, and I appreciate the
depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here today.
Education isn't a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an
American issue, and everyone in this room is committed to
educational excellence. We all know too much is at stake to let
partisanship get in the way of progress.
The call was sounded in 1984, when the Reagan Administration
warned in its historic education report that we were "A Nation at
Risk. " That report awakened Americans to the situation in our
schools, and the alarm bells rang. Everyone now knows what the
problems are -- and no one is here to point fingers. But for the
good of our children's education, for the good of the country, we
must decide on a course of action. The time for study is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational system,
but there is no one federal solution. Yes, the federal
3
government has an important role to play -- which is why I am
here, and why my Cabinet is here. We will work with you, to help
find answers. But I firmly believe that the key will be found at
the state and local levels.
You are the ones, as governors, who are on the firing line.
You see what goes on in the classrooms, in the local school
boards, and in your state-level policymaking sessions. Truly,
the states are the laboratories of reform in this country,
you are the experts.
But that and inpotactly
over the
But we must work together, the States and the Federal
next
government. We must work together over the next two days
We
will talk about many issues -- most importantly, choice,
many
competitiveness, teaching quality, and improving the learning
years.
environment.
Grady
Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards and a
phsh
results-oriented system -- all of these must be on the table.
What I am seeking at this summit is not just dialogue but a new
sense of direction.
We've got to challenge the education system if we are to
meet the challenge of educational excellence. It's time to stop
debating over commissions and studies -- and set priorities.
It's time to get on with it.
Shortly, we will leave this hall and walk down the Lawn to
the Rotunda, for the first of our working group meetings. On the
way, we will walk past Pavilion VII, known as the Colonnade Club.
4
The cornerstone of that building was laid by three great
Americans
Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
As you walk past the Colonnade Club, let us think of these
three men and what they envisioned for this Republic. Think of
the schools the Founders sought to establish to develop the
character of students, with values like honesty, discipline and
public service. Let us work together these next two days in
frankness and honesty -- and let us not be afraid, as Mr.
Jefferson said, to follow truth wherever it may lead.
God bless you and thank you.
# # #
Document No.
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
9/22/89
9/25/89 - 2:00 P.M.
DATE:
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS EDUCATION SUMMIT
SUBJECT:
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
(9/22) - draft three)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
breeden
ANDERSON
ROGERS
CARD
WINSTON
CICCONI
DEMAREST
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please forward any comments directly to Chriss Winston, Rm. 122,
x2930, no later than 2:00 P.M., Monday, September 25, with a copy
to my office. Thank you.
RESPONSE:
1017 :6v 68
James W. Clcconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
( (Grant) )
September 22, 1989
Draft three
A:opening
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
03-SEP 22 P3:1F P3:
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
[Members of the Cabinet, Governors Clinton and Campbell,
distinguished Governors, President O'Neill, members of the
faculty, and friends ... Thank you and welcome.]
Welcome to "Mr. Jefferson's University," the alma mater of
President Woodrow Wilson; Virginia's gracious governor, Gerry
Baliles; and both its U.S. Senators.
I call it "Mr. Jefferson's University," as nearly everyone
does in Charlottesville. In fact, President William Howard Taft
said once that they still spoke of Mr. Jefferson here as though
he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the Lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism, and the
inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not
see realized in his lifetime. But one which has, over the past
200 years, been fulfilled: a vision of a strong public education
system in this country. It is a system that has brought
Americans from all walks of life together, and enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves ...
a system that
2
has given us Neil Armstrong, Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk and
Sandra Day O'Connor
...
a system unparalled in the world
in
which over 180 million Americans have been enrolled over the last
century alone.
But today, millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society.
Drugs have invaded our classrooms, and violence has entered our
schoolyards. Clearly, the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so you have accepted my invitation to come together for
open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. I am grateful to each of you, and I appreciate the
depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here today.
Education isn't a Republican or a Democratic issue. It's an
American issue, and everyone in this room is committed to
educational excellence. We all know too much is at stake to let
partisanship get in the way of progress.
1983.
The call was sounded in 1984, when the Reagan Administration
warned in its historic education report that we were "A Nation at
Risk. " That report awakened Americans to the situation in our
schools, and the alarm bells rang. Everyone now knows what the
problems are -- and no one is here to point fingers. But for the
good of our children's education, for the good of the country, we
must decide on a course of action. The time for study is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational system,
but there is no one federal solution. Yes, the federal
3
government has an important role to play -- which is why I am
here, and why my Cabinet is here. We will work with you, to help
find answers. But I firmly believe that the key will be found at
the state and local levels.
You are the ones, as governors, who are on the firing line.
You see what goes on in the classrooms, in the local school
boards, and in your state-level policymaking sessions. Truly,
the states are the laboratories of reform in this country, and
you are the experts.
But we must work together, the States and the Federal
government. We must work together over the next two days. We
will talk about many issues -- most importantly, choice,
competitiveness, teaching quality, and improving the learning
environment.
Accountability, flexibility, tougher standards and a
results-oriented system -- all of these must be on the table.
What I am seeking at this summit is not just dialogue but a new
sense of direction.
We've got to challenge the education system if we are to
meet the challenge of educational excellence. It's time to stop
debating over commissions and studies -- and set priorities.
It's time to get on with it.
Shortly, we will leave this hall and walk down the Lawn to
the Rotunda, for the first of our working group meetings. On the
way, we will walk past Pavilion VII, known as the Colonnade Club.
4
The cornerstone of that building was laid by three great
Americans
...
Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe.
As you walk past the Colonnade Club, let us think of these
three men and what they envisioned for this Republic. Think of
the schools the Founders sought to establish to develop the
character of students, with values like honesty, discipline and
public service. Let us work together these next two days in
frankness and honesty -- and let us not be afraid, as Mr.
Jefferson said, to follow truth wherever it may lead.
God bless you and thank you.
# # #
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Charlottesville, Virginia)
For Immediate Release
September 28, 1989
FAREWELL REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT,
EDUCATION SECRETARY CAVAZOS,
GOVERNOR BRANSTAD, GOVERNOR GARDNER,
GOVERNOR CARRUTHERS AND GOVERNOR CLINTON
The Rotunda Steps
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
3:07 P.M. EDT
SECRETARY CAVAZOS: Thank you very much. The past two
days have been busy for all of us, but the enthusiasm has come to
this meeting, discussions have borne our knowledge that we are doing
vital and important work and that the results of our decisions will
have an impact far beyond what we can imagine. We've made history at
this education summit and I know that we will continue to make
history in every state and every school across America.
It is an honor now to introduce the President of the
United States, George Bush. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. My role is simply
now, at the end of what I think we all agree was a very successful
conference, to again thank the University of Virginia -- students,
its faculty, its President -- to thank all of the governors. I want
to single out those on the platform with me now. Governor Branstad,
who is head of the Governors' Association; Governor Carruthers;
Governor Booth Gardner of the State of Washington; and of course Bill
Clinton, who looks a little tired, but took on an extra
responsibility for hammering out a statement upon which there is
strong agreement.
And we've reached agreement on the need for national
performance goals, on the need for more flexibility and
accountabilty, the need for restructuring and choice, and I agree
with Governor Clinton that this is a major step forward in education.
The need for letting parents, teachers, students and communities --
to encourage them to work together more and more and the need for
more federal support for the pre-kindergarten education process
normally identified with Head Start, but certainly other programs
might fit that description.
But I want to thank each and every one of the governors
and their families. This has been historic, and I pledge to you my
determination to follow up in every way possible. We just cannot let
it sit here and end here, and I promise you that I won't, that my
Cabinet won't, and that our entire administration will not.
So with no further ado to all the governors here, my
heartfelt thanks. (Applause.)
GOVERNOR BRANSTAD: Mr. President, on behalf of the
National Governors Association, we thank you for calling us together
in this very historic summit on education. I want to thank all of
the governors that participated. We had better attendance than we
even do at the National Governors Annual Meetings. There were open
and frank discussions. A very significant agreement has been
reached. This year, the National Governors Association has an agenda
that calls for building a consensus for change to address some of the
critical issues facing the United States of America -- the issues of
MORE
- 2 -
education and the environment.
And in the last two days here, we have made significant
progress towards building that national consensus with the leadership
of the President and the governors. In the area of setting national
education goals, we unanimously agree that there is a need for the
first time in this nation's history to have specific results-oriented
goals. And we're talking about roles in the area of readiness of
children to start school; in the area of performance of students in
international achievement tests in the areas of math and science; in
the reduction of the dropout rate and the improvement of academic
performance, especially for at-risk children -- in the functional
literacy of adult Americans, in the level of training necessary to
guarantee a competitive work force, in the supply of qualified
teachers with up-to-date technology, and the establishment of safe,
disciplined and drug-free schools.
We recognize the need for both flexibility to state
governments and to local school districts; but coupled with that,
accountablity for outcome-related results. I think significant
progress has been made. We have committed to work together. The
National Governors Association Task Force on Education and the people
designated by the President to make specific goals and to reach those
goals hopefully by the February meeting of the National Governors
Association in the Nation's Capital.
It's a beautiful day in Charlottesville, Virginia. I'm
proud that the President has invited us to be here. We appreciate
the great hospitality of this great state and this great university,
and I'm pleased to introduce my Vice Chairman for the National
Governors Association, the Governor of the State of Washington,
Governor Booth Gardner, to talk about some of the other goals that
have been spelled out in this joint statement.
Governor Gardner. (Applause.)
GOVERNOR GARDNER: The report goes further, and I think
one of the reasons that we're all so excited about the results of the
last two days are that the report addresses the financial role of the
federal government in education, albeit in a limited role, but an
extremely important role. And the understanding is that the money
that becomes available will be applied to the issue of early
childhood education and Head Start and preparing young people for the
day that they enter school that they will be on a parred and equity
basis with other children and they're ready and able to perform.
And we also discussed and agreed that we have to continue
to look at mandates from the federal government to make sure that
those mandates do not impinge on the state's ability to provide its
discretionary funds for education.
Then we have a very exciting statement on the commitment
to restructuring. The President and the nation's governments have
agreed that significant steps must be made in restructuring education
in all states; a system of accountability that focuses on results
rather than input; a decentralized authority and decision-making
responsibility to the school site; empowerment to the principals and
the teachers to carry out their mandates and citing challenges to
face us in this country; and an educational system that develops
first-rate teachers and supports those teachers with the technology,
staff, and services that are necessary to allow them to be
productive.
And lastly, we want to compliment the Secretary of
Education and the President on agreeing that we will have a report
card and that we will measure the schools, the state, and the federal
government year by year to make sure that we remain committed to the
agreements that we have reached in the past two days and the goals
that will come out of the process for the next few months that we
hope to agree on in Feburary or March.
MORE
- 3 -
In the past few days, the President, his Cabinet,
Secretary of Education, the governors and their staff have humbly.
walked the footsteps of Thomas Jefferson. We started down a
promising path, and we have composed a Jeffersonian compact -- the
beneficiaries of which will be the children of this country.
The children of this country today represent 25 percent
of our population. Tomorrow, they are 100 percent of that
population. (Applause.)
With that, I'd like to introduce the Governor of New
Mexico and the Chairman of the Educational Commission of the States,
Garrey Carruthers.
GOVERNOR CARRUTHERS: Thank you very much, Booth. We
came to talk about sharing the responsibility for success, and we've
done that. And to have success we need to have a vision, much higher
expectations, and the President of the United States gave one of the
finest speeches I've ever heard on education today at the convocation
at the University of Virginia. (Applause.)
And it is from that speech and the work that we have to
do afterwards that will develop the vision of education in this
country. But I think also we came to talk about empowering people,
and we talked a lot about empowering. We're going to empower parents
by encouraging choice; we're going to empower teachers by letting
them take over the classrooms again; we're going to empower those
educational entrepreneurs that exist in all our communities by
deregulating the educational system.
We need to empower the kids by making sure that before
they're five years old they've been properly taken care of in every
way, particularly with health. And we need to empower the private
sector by inviting them into the school systems and getting their
assistance and mentoring programs and the financial assistance
they've always been willing to give us.
And then we need to empower all Americans very simply by
having them join us in developing a set of national goals. It has
been a wonderful conference and now I'd like to introduce you to
Governor Bill Clinton who's one of the prime forces in developing
this conference, the Summit, with the President of the United States.
(Applause.)
GOVERNOR CLINTON: Thank you very much, Governor
Carruthers, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen.
This is a rather emotional moment for me. For one thing,
I didn't get much sleep last night. We were up working on this
statement.
I want to thank Governor Campbell, who is not here, and
Governor Branstad, who is, and all the others who worked on this
statement from the National Governors Association -- John Sununu and
Roger Porter and others from the White House staff. And most
important, Mr. President, I want to thank you for giving us the
chance, the governors, after seven years of hard work on educational
reform, to have a real national partnership in education.
The press will ask today, and maybe the people will when
we get home, what really happened here that makes a difference. I
would say there are three things.
This is the first time in the history of this country
that we have ever thought enough of education and ever understood its
significance to our economic future enough to commit ourselves to
national performance goals. It has never happened in over 200 years.
This is the first time, ever, any group of public officials have ever
committed themselves to a national effort to restructure the schools
MORE
- 4 -
of the United States -- something every educator who studied it says
is the single most significant thing we could do.
And this is the first time a president and governors have
ever stood before the American people and said, not only are we going
to set national performance goals, which are ambitious, not only are
we going to develop strategies to achieve them, but we stand here
before you and tell you we expect to be held personally accountable
for the progress we make in moving this country to a brighter future.
If that doesn't make this a happy day, I don't know what does. Thank
you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Well done, Bill. You did
a wonderful job. Booth, thanks for everything.
END
3:20 P.M. EDT
FILE
REMARKS: OPENING ADDRESS
EDUCATION SUMMIT
OLD CABELL HALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1989
3:30 P.M.
[MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, GOVERNOR BRANSTAD,
GOVERNORS CLINTON AND CAMPBELL, DISTINGUISHED
GOVERNORS, PRESIDENT O'NEILL, MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY,
AND FRIENDS ... THANK YOU AND WELCOME.]
- 2 -
WELCOME TO "MR. JEFFERSON'S UNIVERSITY," THE ALMA
MATER OF PRESIDENT WOODROW WILSON; VIRGINIA'S GRACIOUS
GOVERNOR, GERRY BALILES; AND BOTH OF ITS U.S. SENATORS
JOHN WARNER AND CHUCK ROBB AND THE CONGRESSMAN FOR THIS
BEAUTIFUL AREA -- FRENCH SLAUGHTER.
I CALL IT "MR. JEFFERSON'S UNIVERSITY," AS NEARLY
EVERYONE DOES IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.
- 3 -
IN FACT, PRESIDENT WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT SAID ONCE THAT
THEY STILL SPOKE OF MR. JEFFERSON HERE AS THOUGH HE
WERE IN THE NEXT ROOM -- HIS SPIRIT MORE REAL THAN THE
PAINTING OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLE BEHIND ME, OR THE
STATUE OF HOMER OUTSIDE ON THE LAWN.
- 4 -
ALTHOUGH HIS IDEAS ON INDIVIDUAL FREEDOM, HUMANISM,
AND THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS OF MAN STAND ALONE IN THE
HISTORY OF THIS REPUBLIC, MR. JEFFERSON HAD ONE
OVERRIDING VISION THAT HE DID NOT SEE REALIZED IN HIS
LIFETIME. BUT ONE WHICH HAS, OVER THE PAST 200 YEARS,
BEEN FULFILLED: A VISION OF A STRONG PUBLIC EDUCATION
SYSTEM IN THIS COUNTRY.
- 5 -
IT IS A SYSTEM THAT HAS BROUGHT AMERICANS FROM ALL
WALKS OF LIFE TOGETHER, AND ENABLED ALL CITIZENS To
BUILD BETTER LIVES FOR THEMSELVES ... A SYSTEM THAT HAS
GIVEN US NEIL ARMSTRONG, MARTIN LUTHER KING, JONAS SALK
AND SANDRA DAY O' CONNOR
...
A SYSTEM UNPARALLED IN THE
WORLD.
BUT TODAY, MILLIONS OF AMERICANS CANNOT READ. SOME
NEVER EVEN MAKE IT To GRADUATION, DROPPING OUT OF
SCHOOL AND SOCIETY.
- 6 -
DRUGS HAVE INVADED OUR CLASSROOMS, AND VIOLENCE HAS
ENTERED OUR SCHOOLYARDS. CLEARLY, THE ENLIGHTENED
AMERICA DREAMED OF BY THOMAS JEFFERSON STILL ELUDES US.
AND so YOU HAVE ACCEPTED MY INVITATION To COME
TOGETHER FOR OPEN AND CANDID DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE
FUTURE OF AMERICAN EDUCATION. I AM GRATEFUL TO EACH OF
YOU, AND I APPRECIATE THE DEPTH OF COMMITMENT SHOWN BY
EVERYONE ASSEMBLED HERE TODAY. EDUCATION ISN'T A
REPUBLICAN OR A DEMOCRATIC ISSUE.
- 7 -
IT'S AN AMERICAN ISSUE, AND EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM IS
COMMITTED TO EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. WE ALL KNOW TOO
MUCH IS AT STAKE To LET PARTISANSHIP GET IN THE WAY OF
PROGRESS.
THE CALL WAS SOUNDED IN 1983, WHEN THE REAGAN
ADMINISTRATION WARNED IN ITS HISTORIC EDUCATION REPORT
THAT WE WERE "A NATION AT RISK." THAT REPORT AWAKENED
AMERICANS TO THE SITUATION IN OUR SCHOOLS, AND THE
ALARM BELLS RANG.
- 8 -
EVERYONE NOW KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEMS ARE -- AND NO ONE
IS HERE TO POINT FINGERS. BUT FOR THE GOOD OF OUR
CHILDREN'S EDUCATION, FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY, WE
MUST DECIDE ON A COURSE OF ACTION. THE TIME FOR STUDY
IS OVER.
THERE ARE REAL PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW IN OUR
EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, BUT THERE IS NO ONE FEDERAL
SOLUTION.
- 9 -
YES, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO
PLAY -- WHICH IS WHY I AM HERE, AND WHY MY CABINET IS
HERE. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU, TO HELP FIND ANSWERS.
BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE KEY WILL BE FOUND AT THE
STATE AND LOCAL LEVELS.
You ARE THE ONES, AS GOVERNORS, WHO ARE ON THE
FIRING LINE. You SEE WHAT GOES ON IN THE CLASSROOMS,
IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL BOARDS, AND IN YOUR STATE-LEVEL
POLICY-MAKING SESSIONS.
- 10 -
TRULY, THE STATES ARE THE LABORATORIES OF REFORM IN
THIS COUNTRY, AND YOU ARE THE EXPERTS.
BUT WE MUST WORK TOGETHER, THE STATES -- GOVERNORS,
MAYORS, STATE LEGISLATORS -- AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. WE MUST WORK TOGETHER OVER THE NEXT TWO
DAYS
BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS.
WE WILL TALK ABOUT MANY ISSUES -- MOST IMPORTANTLY,
CHOICE, COMPETITIVENESS, TEACHING QUALITY, AND
IMPROVING THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT.
- 11 -
ACCOUNTABILITY, FLEXIBILITY, TOUGHER STANDARDS AND
A RESULTS-ORIENTED SYSTEM -- ALL OF THESE MUST BE ON
THE TABLE. WHAT I AM SEEKING AT THIS SUMMIT IS NOT
JUST DIALOGUE BUT A NEW SENSE OF DIRECTION. WE'VE GOT
TO CHALLENGE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM IF WE ARE TO MEET THE
CHALLENGE OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE. IT'S TIME TO STOP
DEBATING OVER COMMISSIONS AND STUDIES -- AND SET
PRIORITIES. IT'S TIME TO GET ON WITH IT.
- 12 -
SHORTLY, WE WILL LEAVE THIS HALL AND WALK DOWN THE
LAWN TO THE ROTUNDA, FOR THE FIRST OF OUR WORKING GROUP
MEETINGS. ON THE WAY, WE WILL WALK PAST PAVILION VII,
KNOWN AS THE COLONNADE CLUB. THE CORNERSTONE OF THAT
BUILDING WAS LAID BY THREE GREAT AMERICANS
PRESIDENTS JEFFERSON, MADISON AND MONROE.
As YOU WALK PAST THE COLONNADE CLUB, LET US THINK
OF THESE THREE MEN AND WHAT THEY ENVISIONED FOR THIS
REPUBLIC.
- 13 -
THINK OF THE SCHOOLS THE FOUNDERS SOUGHT TO ESTABLISH
TO DEVELOP THE CHARACTER OF STUDENTS, WITH VALUES LIKE
HONESTY, DISCIPLINE AND PUBLIC SERVICE. LET US WORK
TOGETHER THESE NEXT TWO DAYS IN FRANKNESS AND
HONESTY -- AND LET US NOT BE AFRAID, AS MR. JEFFERSON
SAID, TO FOLLOW TRUTH WHEREVER IT MAY LEAD.
GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU.
# # #
FILE
PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS: CONVOCATION, UNIV. OF VIRGINIA
THURSDAY, SEPT. 28, 11:30 A.M.
THANK YOU SECRETARY CAVAZOS, PRESIDENT O'NEIL,
GOVERNORS BALILES AND BRANSTAD.
IT'S A DELIGHT TO BE BACK IN CHARLOTTESVILLE.
((IMAGINE THIS -- YOU HAVE A PRESIDENT, THE CABINET AND
AMERICA'S GOVERNORS VISITING YOUR SCHOOL. AND THE BIG
MAN ON CAMPUS TODAY IS STILL SEAN MOORE.)) ////
AND THEN MY SON MARVIN AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW
MARGARET ADVISE ME TO BE HUMBLE WHILE I'M AT U. HALL.
((YOU SEE, THEY TOLD ME YOU ONLY DO THE WAVE FOR RALPH
SAMPSON.)) ////
WELL, IT'S EASY TO BE HUMBLE AT A SCHOOL SO RICH
IN HISTORY AND EDUCATIONAL ENDEAVOR. AND I'VE ALSO
BEEN DEEPLY IMPRESSED BY THE COMMITMENT, THE CREATIVITY
AND THE KNOWLEDGE. THAT MY FELLOW CHIEF EXECUTIVES FROM
THE STATES BRING TO EDUCATION REFORM. IN OUR MEETINGS
YESTERDAY, I LEARNED EXACTLY HOW MUCH YOU CARE ABOUT
THE CHILDREN OF YOUR STATES, AND THEIR FUTURE. IN
SHORT, I CAME TO CHARLOTTESVILLE WITH HIGH
EXPECTATIONS, AND YOU EXCEEDED THEM.
- 2 -
SO THE SPIRIT OF OUR SUMMIT IS NOT: "WHO WILL GET
THE CREDIT?" THE SPIRIT OF THIS SUMMIT IS: "HOW CAN WE
GET RESULTS." WE ARE HERE TO PUT PROGRESS BEFORE
PARTISANSHIP, // THE FUTURE BEFORE THE MOMENT// AND OUR
CHILDREN BEFORE OURSELVES. //
I'VE HEARD ELOQUENT ADVICE FROM MANY OF YOU, AND
FROM so MANY OTHERS, IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS. I'VE
LISTENED. AND I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THAT I
HAVE LEARNED.
BUT I'VE ALSO LEARNED THAT WE SHOULD LISTEN TO OUR
CHILDREN. THEY HAVE MUCH TO TELL US. IN MANY WAYS,
THEY ARE THE LUCKIEST GENERATION IN HISTORY. JUST LAST
MONTH, OUR CHILDREN OBSERVED, IN THE CLARITY OF
VOYAGER'S SIGHT, THE HORIZONS OF NEW WORLDS, THE
MAJESTY OF SPACE. THINK WHAT THESE IMAGES WOULD HAVE
MEANT TO THE EVER-CURIOUS FOUNDER OF THIS UNIVERSITY,
WHO COULD ONLY LOOK THROUGH A PRIMITIVE TELESCOPE AT
FAINT PATCHES OF LIGHT AND WONDER.
- 3 -
BUT OUR CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN AN AGE WHERE
WONDER IS COMMONPLACE, AND PEACE AND PROSPERITY ARE
OFTEN TAKEN FOR GRANTED. OUR CHILDREN ARE ALSO THE
BENEFICIARIES OF A NATION THAT LAVISHES UNSURPASSED
RESOURCES ON THEIR SCHOOLING. SO IN MANY WAYS, WE ARE
CLOSE TO FULFILLING THE ENLIGHTENMENT DREAM OF
UNIVERSAL EDUCATION, A DREAM THAT BECAME A REALITY IN
THE SHADOWS OF THE SHENANDOAHS, HERE AT MISTER
JEFFERSON'S SCHOOL.
EVERY STEP WE TAKE AT THIS UNIVERSITY IS TRULY A
WALK IN THOMAS JEFFERSON'S FOOTSTEPS. WHEN HE FIRST
CHARTED THE GROUND ON WHICH WE GATHER TODAY, THERE WAS
JUST A FIELD OF GRASS, AND A HORIZON LIMITED ONLY BY
THE BLUE MOUNTAINS BEYOND. BUT JEFFERSON SURVEYED A
HORIZON NO ONE ELSE COULD SEE. HE SAW THE GRACEFUL
DOME OF THE ROTUNDA, AND THE ELEGANCE OF THE LAWN AND
ITS PAVILIONS. HE SAW MEETING ROOMS, LIBRARIES AND
LECTURE HALLS TEEMING WITH PROFESSORS AND STUDENTS YET
UNBORN.
- 4 -
JEFFERSON SET OUT TO FASHION HIS RARIFIED VISION
INTO SOLID REALITY, BRICK BY BRICK, BOOK BY BOOK. AND
IT IS HIS UNIVERSITY -- AND HIS DREAM -- THAT INSPIRES
US TODAY TO FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, OUR FIRST EDUCATION PRESIDENT,
WAS A RELENTLESS ADVOCATE FOR UNIVERSAL PUBLIC
EDUCATION. "HE HAD A FUNDAMENTAL CONVICTION THAT ON
THE 'GOOD SENSE OF' AN EDUCATED CITIZENRY, WE COULD
BUILD AND DEFEND A COUNTRY OF LIBERTY AND JUSTICE."
I BORROWED THIS ASSESSMENT FROM A FRIEND OF
MINE -- ANOTHER RENAISSANCE MAN, A MAN OF OUR TIME --
THE LATE A. BARTLETT GIAMATTI. //
LIKE JEFFERSON, BART'S LIFE WAS A METAPHOR FOR
CIVILITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE. AND IT IS THIS COMMITMENT
TO PUBLIC SERVICE THAT WE MUST CARRY ON. LET US MAKE
THIS AN EDUCATION SOCIETY.
- 5 -
WE HAVE ALREADY COME CLOSE TO THIS JEFFERSONIAN
IDEAL. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IS, IN MANY WAYS,
UNRIVALED IN ITS SCALE AND DIVERSITY; IN ITS COMMITMENT
TO MEETING SPECIAL NEEDS AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES.
WE ARE INSPIRED BY OUR BEST TEACHERS, WHO GIVE MORE
THAN WE CAN RIGHTLY EXPECT; AND FROM OUR BEST STUDENTS,
WHO SURPASS OUR HIGHEST EXPECTATIONS.
YET AFTER TWO CENTURIES OF PROGRESS, WE ARE
STAGNANT. WHILE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS READ FOR
PLEASURE, MILLIONS OF OTHERS DON'T READ AT ALL. WHILE
MILLIONS GO TO COLLEGE, MILLIONS WILL NEVER GRADUATE
FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS
ESTIMATES THAT FEWER THAN ONE IN FOUR OF OUR HIGH
SCHOOL JUNIORS CAN WRITE AN ADEQUATE, PERSUASIVE
LETTER. ONLY HALF CAN MANAGE DECIMALS, FRACTIONS AND
PERCENTAGES. BARELY ONE IN THREE CAN LOCATE THE CIVIL
WAR IN THE CORRECT HALF-CENTURY. NO MODERN NATION CAN
LONG AFFORD TO ALLOW SO MANY OF ITS SONS AND DAUGHTERS
TO EMERGE INTO ADULTHOOD IGNORANT AND UNSKILLED. THE
STATUS QUO IS A GUARANTEE OF MEDIOCRITY, SOCIAL DECAY
AND NATIONAL DECLINE. /
- 6 -
EDUCATION IS OUR MOST ENDURING LEGACY, VITAL TO
EVERYTHING WE ARE AND CAN BECOME. AND COME THE NEXT
CENTURY -- JUST TEN YEARS AWAY -- WHAT WILL WE BE?
WILL WE BE THE CHILDREN OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT, OR ITS
ORPHANS?
SIX YEARS AGO, THE COMMISSION ON EXCELLENCE IN
EDUCATION ISSUED ITS POWERFUL REPORT; AND YET TODAY,
OUR NATION IS STILL AT RISK. THE EDUCATIONAL REFORM
MOVEMENT HAS DONE WELL IN ARTICULATING ITS CRITICISMS.
NOW IT IS TIME TO DEFINE GOALS. THIS IS A TIME FOR
ACTION. //
I SENT MY PROPOSALS FOR FEDERAL ACTION IN
EDUCATION TO CONGRESS LAST SPRING. THE EDUCATIONAL
EXCELLENCE ACT OF 1989 INCLUDES WAYS TO RESHAPE AND
EXPAND FEDERAL EFFORTS, TO RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE, LIFT
THE NEEDY, FOSTER FLEXIBILITY AND CHOICE, AND MEASURE
AND REWARD PROGRESS. I REMAIN SOLIDLY COMMITTED TO
THESE PRINCIPLES, AND I VALUE YOUR ADVICE AND IDEAS AS
WE CONTINUE TO REFINE THE FEDERAL ROLE.
- 7 -
SOME OFFER A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT ANSWER -- TO
SPEND MORE MONEY. AND AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, WE HAVE
ASKED CONGRESS TO PROVIDE NEARLY A HALF A BILLION
DOLLARS IN NEW FUNDING FOR TEN WORTHY PROGRAMS. YOUR
STATES MAY ALSO CHOOSE TO SPEND MORE. BUT TO THOSE WHO
SAY THAT MONEY ALONE IS THE ANSWER, I SAY THAT THERE IS
NO ONE ANSWER. IF ANYTHING, HARD EXPERIENCE TEACHES
THAT WE ARE SIMPLY NOT GETTING OUR MONEY'S WORTH IN
EDUCATION. // OUR FOCUS MUST NO LONGER BE ON RESOURCES.
IT MUST BE ON RESULTS. //
THIS IS ONLY THE THIRD TIME IN OUR 200 YEARS AS A
NATION THAT A PRESIDENT HAS CALLED A SUMMIT WITH THE
GOVERNORS. I HAVE CALLED YOU TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU BEAR
THE CONSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR EDUCATION. AND I
DID NOT ASK YOU TO SUCH AN HISTORIC OCCASION MERELY TO
BEMOAN WHAT IS WRONG. WE ARE HERE TO WORK; TO WORK
TOGETHER; TO ONCE AGAIN MAKE AN AMERICAN EDUCATION THE
BEST IN THE WORLD. //
- 8 -
YOU ALREADY ARE CONSULTING WITH THE STATE
LEGISLATURES TO BETTER OUR SCHOOLS. OUR TEACHERS
ALREADY ARE GIVING THEIR HEART AND SOUL TO THEIR JOBS.
BUT WE HAVE NEVER BEFORE WORKED TOGETHER -- PRESIDENT
AND PRINCIPAL, GOVERNOR AND TEACHER -- TO ACHIEVE
RESULTS IN EDUCATION.
A SOCIAL COMPACT BEGINS TODAY IN CHARLOTTESVILLE,
A COMPACT BETWEEN PARENTS, TEACHERS, PRINCIPALS,
8SUPERINTENDENTS, STATE LEGISLATORS, GOVERNORS AND THE
ADMINISTRATION. OUR COMPACT IS FOUNDED NOT ON
PROMISES, BUT ON CHALLENGES -- EACH ONE A RADICAL
DEPARTURE FROM TRADITION.
I CHALLENGE YOU TO JOIN ME, FOR THE FIRST TIME, TO
DEFINE NATIONAL GOALS IN EDUCATION. FROM THIS DAY
FORWARD, LET US BE AN AMERICA OF TOUGHER STANDARDS, //
AN AMERICA OF HIGHER GOALS// AND A LAND OF BIGGER
DREAMS.
- 9 -
AND OUR GOALS MUST BE "NATIONAL," NOT "FEDERAL."
THAT IS WHY I WELCOME THE INITIATIVES OF THE NATIONAL
GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION, FROM THE TIME FOR RESULTS REPORT
IN 1986, TO THE GOAL-SETTING PROJECT RECENTLY BEGUN
UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF IOWA'S TERRY BRANSTAD, SOUTH
CAROLINA'S CARROLL CAMPBELL AND BILL CLINTON OF
ARKANSAS. MY ADMINISTRATION WILL WORK WITH YOU TO
BUILD ON THE NATIONAL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM'S FIRST STATE-
BY-STATE ACHIEVEMENT RESULTS. WE WILL WORK WITH YOU TO
FORMULATE NATIONAL GOALS. AND THEN WE WILL CHALLENGE
SUPERINTENDENTS AND PRINCIPALS TO MEET THESE HIGHER
GOALS.
IN RETURN, I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE, AND WILL WORK
WITH YOU TO LOOSEN THE GRIP OF FEDERAL
RESTRICTIONS./ HOW MANY GREAT IDEAS, HOW MANY GRAND
AND NOBLE EXPERIMENTS, HAVE BEEN IMPALED ON THE NARROW
SPIKE OF A FEDERAL DIRECTIVE? UNNECESSARY RESTRICTION
IS THE ENEMY OF THE BOLD. AND BOLD ACTION IS WHAT WE
NEED MOST OF ALL. //
- 10 -
I ASK CONGRESS TO ALLOW WASHINGTON TO BE MORE
FLEXIBLE, BY PASSING REFORM LEGISLATION. AND I ASK
YOU, IN TURN, TO EASE STATE RESTRICTIONS ON LOCAL
BODIES.
THEN WE WILL JUDGE OUR EFFORTS NOT BY OUR
INTENTIONS, BUT BY OUR RESULTS.
so TO GET RESULTS, WE NEED NATIONAL GOALS, AND
MORE FLEXIBILITY FROM FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT. TO
GET RESULTS, WE WILL NEED A NEW SPIRIT OF COMPETITION
BETWEEN STUDENTS, BETWEEN TEACHERS AND BETWEEN SCHOOLS
-- A REPORT CARD FOR ALL. AND TO GET RESULTS, WE WILL
NEED DISCIPLINE, STRUCTURE AND GOALS.
YET I DO NOT COUNSEL A NAIVE NOSTALGIA, A TAME
ADHERENCE TO THE PAST. BUSINESS AS USUAL IS NOT
GETTING US WHERE WE NEED TO GO. so WHEN HALLOWED
TRADITION PROVES TO BE HOLLOW CONVENTION, THEN WE MUST
SHATTER TRADITION. THE POLLS SHOW WHAT EVERY P.T.A.
BOARD MEMBER ALREADY KNOWS: THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE
READY FOR RADICAL REFORMS. WE MUST/ NOT//
DISAPPOINT// THEM. //
- 11 -
I ENVISION TRADITION-SHATTERING REFORM IN FIVE
AREAS.
FIRST, I SEE THE DAY WHEN EVERY STUDENT IS
LITERATE. BUT LITERACY SHOULD MEAN MORE THAN THE
"THREE R'S." WE MUST BE A READING NATION. WE MUST
GRAPPLE WITH THE HARD SCIENCES. AND BECAUSE EDUCATION
IS AS SPIRITUAL AS IT IS PRACTICAL, OUR CHILDREN MUST
KNOW WHY AMERICANS DIED AT BUNKER HILL, AT GETTYSBURG
AND AT MONTE CASSINO. THEY MUST DO MORE THAN IDENTIFY
NAMES ON A MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION. THEY MUST
UNDERSTAND THE GENEROSITY OF ANDREW CARNEGIE, THE
GENIUS OF ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL AND THE HEROISM OF ROSA
PARKS. //
SOME YOUNGSTERS WILL NATURALLY TAKE LONGER THAN
OTHERS. SOME WILL NEED MORE STUDY, AND EXTRA
INSTRUCTION. BUT WE SHOULD NEVER SEND A STUDENT FROM
SCHOOL JUST BECAUSE HE OR SHE HAS PASSED AN ARBITRARY
BIRTHDAY. //
- 12 -
SECOND, I SEE A DAY WHEN OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
WILL BE UNAFRAID OF DIVERSITY. OF COURSE, ALL SCHOOLS
IN A STATE WILL SHARE A CORE CURRICULUM AND MINIMUM
STANDARDS OF ACHIEVEMENT. BUT THE MEANS BY WHICH THAT
CURRICULUM IS TAUGHT, AND THOSE GOALS MET, SHOULD BE AS
DIVERSE AND VARIED AS AMERICA. LET THEM BLEND, IN
MYRIAD WAYS, THE TRADITIONAL AND THE MODERN, THE HUMAN
AND THE TECHNOLOGICAL. LET US GIVE OUR SCHOOLS AND OUR
TEACHERS THE FREEDOM TO DO WHAT THEY DO BEST.
CHILDREN ALSO DIFFER -- IN THEIR INTERESTS,
LEARNING STYLES AND CAPABILITIES. SO THIRD, I SEE THE
DAY WHEN CHOICE AMONG SCHOOLS WILL BE THE NORM RATHER
THAN THE EXCEPTION; WHEN PARENTS WILL BE FULL PARTNERS
IN THE EDUCATION OF THEIR CHILDREN.
- 13 -
TOO MANY PARENTS HAVE COME TO SEE EDUCATION AS A
SERVICE WE CAN HAND OVER TO THE SCHOOL BOARDS, IN MUCH
THE SAME WAY WE EXPECT OUR CITIES TO PROVIDE
ELECTRICITY OR WATER. BUT EDUCATION IS NOT A UTILITY,
NOT SOMETHING TO BE DELEGATED. EDUCATION IS A WAY OF
LIFE, AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM IS AN URGENT
RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERY PARENT, EVERY STUDENT, EVERY
COMMUNITY. THOSE WHO DO NOT ADVANCE THE CAUSE OF
EDUCATION, HINDER IT. PARENTS, STUDENTS AND
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATORS MUST BE ACCOUNTABLE TO ONE
ANOTHER, AS A COMMUNITY.
BUT TO BE ACCOUNTABLE, WE NEED TO KNOW JUST HOW
MUCH PROGRESS WE'RE MAKING. so FOURTH, I SEE THE DAY
WHEN WE USE ACCURATE ASSESSMENTS, CAREFULLY LINKED TO
OUR EDUCATIONAL GOALS. WE NEED TO FIRST KNOW WHERE WE
ARE; THIS MEANS ACCEPTING THE BAD NEWS ALONG WITH THE
GOOD. WE HAVE ALWAYS MEASURED OUR PROGRESS AGAINST OUR
PAST PERFORMANCE. WE MUST NOW EVALUATE OURSELVES ON A
TOUGHER GRADING CURVE -- ONE THAT INCLUDES THE OTHER
MAJOR INDUSTRIAL NATIONS.
- 14 -
ACCOUNTABILITY ALSO MEANS WE MUST ACT ON WHAT WE
DISCOVER. WEAK PERFORMANCE IN THE CLASSROOM, OR THE
PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED. BUT
NEITHER WILL INDIFFERENCE TOWARD GOOD EDUCATORS.
SOCIETY HAS NO GREATER BENEFACTORS THAN OUTSTANDING
TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS. LET THEM GET WHAT THEY
DESERVE -- GENEROUS PRAISE AND SOLID REWARDS.
FIFTH, I SEE AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM THAT NEVER
SETTLES FOR THE MINIMUM, IN ACADEMICS OR IN BEHAVIOR.
DECADES OF RESEARCH BEAR OUT WHAT THE BEST TEACHERS
ALREADY KNOW: WHEN STANDARDS AND EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH,
EVERYONE DOES BETTER. THIS INCLUDES BOTH THE UNUSUALLY
GIFTED, AND THOSE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS AND DISABILITIES.
BUT IT MUST ALSO INCLUDE THE STUDENT WE TOO OFTEN
FORGET, THE AVERAGE STUDENT. FOR I BELIEVE, THAT WITH
A LITTLE CARE AND A LITTLE WORK, WE CAN UNLEASH WITHIN
EACH OF THESE SO-CALLED ORDINARY CHILDREN AN
EXTRAORDINARY POTENTIAL.
- 15 -
THIS SAME POTENTIAL CAN BE FOUND WITHIN EVERY
DISADVANTAGED CHILD, THOSE FROM TROUBLED NEIGHBORHOODS:
CHILDREN FOR WHOM OUR SCHOOLS MUST BE A BEACON OF
EXCELLENCE; A SANCTUARY FROM VIOLENCE; A MODEL OF GOOD
CHARACTER, SOUND VALUES AND EXEMPLARY ETHICS. LET NO
CHILD IN AMERICA BE FORGOTTEN OR FORSAKEN. / /
SOME OF OUR REFORMS AND EXPERIMENTS ARE SURE TO
COME UP SHORT. BUT FOR TOO MANY OF OUR SCHOOLS,
EXPERIMENTATION IS PREFERABLE TO THE STATUS QUO,
BECAUSE THE STATUS QUO COULD SCARCELY BE WORSE. THE
WORTHY AND THE USEFUL WILL WIN OUT ONLY IF WE GIVE OUR
SCHOOLS THE FREEDOM THEY NEED.
SUCH FREEDOM WILL NOT LEAD TO A QUICK AND EASY
SOLUTION. IT IS THE WORK OF YEARS. AND WE HAVE TAKEN
SUCH A LONG-TERM VIEW IN OUR MEETINGS.
- 16 -
WE HAVE DISCUSSED THE NEED FOR EDUCATIONAL REFORM
IN TERMS OF OUR NATIONAL COMPETITIVENESS, EVEN OUR
NATIONAL FUTURE. BUT I AM SURE YOU AGREE THAT THERE IS
MORE TO LEARNING THAN JUST OUR TRADE BALANCE OR THE
GRAYING OF OUR WORK FORCE; IT IS BROADER THAN THE
IMPORTANT, BUT NARROW, COMPASS OF ECONOMICS AND
GOVERNMENT.
A SCHOLAR ONCE WROTE THAT GREAT BOOKS ARE NOT
LIFELESS PAPER, BUT MINDS ALIVE ON THE SHELVES. HE
OBSERVED THAT JUST AS THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON ON A STEREO
WILL FILL A ROOM WITH MUSIC, SO BY TAKING DOWN ONE OF
THESE VOLUMES, AND OPENING IT, ONE CAN CALL INTO RANGE
THE VOICE OF A MAN FAR DISTANT IN TIME AND SPACE, AND
HEAR HIM SPEAK, MIND TO MIND, HEART TO HEART.
AS A NATION, WE CAN AGAIN HEAR THESE VOICES, FEEL
THIS ENCHANTMENT -- EVERY TIME A PARENT READS A BEDTIME
STORY TO A SLEEPY CHILD; EVERY TIME A YOUNG SCHOLAR
TURNS TO THE GREAT BOOKS. THE DAY MUST COME WHEN EVERY
YOUNG AMERICAN CAN KNOW THE LIFE OF THE MIND.
- 17 -
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE GATHERED HERE, AT MISTER
JEFFERSON'S SCHOOL. HE WAS JUST ONE MAN, BUT LOOK AT
WHAT ONE MAN CAN DO. IMAGINE WHAT WE CAN DO, IF WE --
MORE THAN FIFTY STRONG -- ARE UNITED BY THIS GREAT
CAUSE. SO LET US DREAM. LET US TALK. IF NEED BE, LET
US ARGUE. BUT IN THE END, LET US WALK TOGETHER ON A
JOURNEY TO ENLIGHTENMENT, IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THOMAS
JEFFERSON. ////
THANK YOU FOR YOUR HARD WORK AND DEDICATION. GOD
BLESS YOU ALL, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA.
#
#
#
THE WHITE HOUSE
(Charlottesville, Virginia)
For Immediate Release
September 27, 1989
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN WELCOMING ADDRESS TO GOVERNORS
Old Cabell Hall
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
3:15 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for that warm welcome.
Secretary Cavazos, thank you, sir, and to the other members of the
Cabinet. And Governor Branstad, and Governors Clinton and Campbell,
all the governors. President O'Neil especially, who is moving out of
his house so Barbara and I can stay there -- beyond the call of duty.
Members of the faculty and friends, thank you. And let me say, as I
guess the host of this, welcome -- welcome to Mr. Jefferson's
university -- the alma mater of President Woodrow Wilson. To
Virginia's gracious Governor, Jerry Baliles, my thanks to you, sir.
Our Senators -- I don't know if they made it -- Chuck Robb and John
Warner, but I know they plan to come. And, of course, Congressman
for this district, French Slaughter.
I call it Mr. Jefferson's university, as nearly everyone
else does in this marvelous city of Charlottesville. In fact,
President Taft said once that they still spoke about Mr. Jefferson as
though he were in the next room -- his spirit more real than the
painting of Plato and Aristotle behind me, or the statue of Homer
outside on the lawn.
Although his ideas on individual freedom, humanism and
the inalienable rights of man stand alone in the history of this
Republic, Mr. Jefferson had one overriding vision that he did not see
realized in his lifetime, but one which has over the past 200 years
been fulfilled -- a vision of strong public education, a public
education system in this country second to none. It's a system that
has brought Americans from all walks of life together; enabled all
citizens to build better lives for themselves; a system that has
given us Neil Armstrong, and Martin Luther King, Jonas Salk, Sandra
Day O'Connor -- a system unparalled in the world.
But today millions of Americans cannot read. Some never
even make it to graduation, dropping out of school and society as
well. Drugs have invaded our classrooms, violence has entered our
school yards, and clearly the enlightened America dreamed of by
Thomas Jefferson still eludes us.
And so, the Governors have accepted my invitation to come
together for open and candid discussions about the future of American
education. And I am grateful to each and every one of you, and I
appreciate the depth of commitment shown by everyone assembled here
today.
This is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. And it's
not administration versus the Governors. It's an American issue.
And everyone in this room is committed or you wouldn't be here --
to educational excellence. And we all know too much is at stake to
let partisanship get in the way of progress.
This call was sounded in 1983, in the previous
administration, in the Reagan administration, when warned in its
MORE
- 2 -
historic education report that we are indeed a nation at risk. And
that report awakened Americans to the situation in our schools, and
then those alarm bells began to ring. And everyone now knows what
the problems are. And no one came here to point fingers. But for
the good of our children's education, for the good of the country, if
you will, we must decide on a course of action. The time for study
is over.
There are real problems right now in our educational
system, but there is no one federal solution. The federal government
of course has a very important role to play, which is why I'm here
and why SO many members of our Cabinet are here. And we're going to
work with you to help find answers.
But I firmly believe that the key will be found at the
state and local levels. You are the ones, as Governors, who are out
there on the firing line. And you see what goes on in the classrooms
and in the local school boards and in your state policymaking
sessions. Truly, the states are the laboratories of reform in this
country and you are the experts.
But we've got to work together -- the states, Governors,
mayors, state legislators and the federal government. We must work
together over the next two days. But more importantly, over the next
several years.
We're going to talk about many issues -- most
importantly, choice and competitiveness and teaching quality and
improving the learning environment. Accountability, flexibility,
tougher standards, a results-oriented system -- all of these have got
to be out there on the table.
And what I'm seeking at this summit is not just dialogue,
but a new sense of direction. We've got to challenge the education
system if we're to meet the challenge of educational excellence.
It's time to stop debating over commissions and studies and set
priorities, and it's time to get on with it.
Shortly we're going to leave this hall and walk down the
lawn to the Rotunda for the first of our working group meetings. On
the way we will pass -- walk past Pavillion Seven, known as the
Colónnade Club. The cornerstone of that building was laid by three
great Americans -- Presidents Jefferson, Madison and Monroe. And as
you walk past that Colonnade Club, let us think of these three men
and what they envisioned for the Republic. Think of the schools the
founders sought to establish to develop the character of students
with values like honesty and discipline and public service. And let
us work together these next two days in a spirit of total frankness,
total honesty. And let's not be afraid, as Mr. Jefferson said, to
follow truth, wherever it may lead.
Thank you all very much for coming. And Governors, I
look forward to working with you over the next couple of days here.
Thank you very much. (Applause.)
END
3:20 P.M. EDT