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7346306
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Exchange of remarks between the President and Edward Aguirre at his swearing-in ceremony [Ford Speech or Statement]
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7346306
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document
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Exchange of remarks between the President and Edward Aguirre at his swearing-in ceremony [Ford Speech or Statement]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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1976-10-18
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1976
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Digitized from Box 33 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCTOBER 18, 1976
OFFICE OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
THE WHITE HOUSE
EXCHANGE OF REMARKS
BETWEEN THE PRESIDENT
AND
EDWARD AGUIRRE
AT THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY
OF EDWARD AGUIRRE AS
U.S. COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION
THE ROSE GARDEN
2:32 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Justice Stewart, Dr. Aguirre
and Mrs. Aguirre:
I am highly honored and consider it a great
personal privilege to have the opportunity of participating
in this ceremony where Dr. Aguirre will become the
Commissioner of Education. Dr. Aguirre brings a very
useful background to this very important job and respon-
siblity in the Federal Government.
As an expert on manpower programs, he understands
the relationship between education and jobs for our youth.
As a distinguished member of the Hispanic community, he is
sensitive to the very special educational needs of America's
minorities. As an able administrator, and especially as
a former classroom teacher, he is well qualified to advise
me on Federal programs and policies for education. In
particular, he will help us identify and answer the
concernsof America's teachers.
Dr. Aguirre believes, as I do, that teachers are
the single most important valuable resource of our
educational system. Dr. Aguirre believes, as I do, that
by helping teachers we are helping insure the success of
America's educational system. Our efforts in education
are aimed not only at providing high quality education
but at making that education equally available to all of our
nation's students.
As head of the Office of Education, Dr. Aguirre
will continue our policy of focusing Federal aid on those
students who need this kind of education the most -- the
handicapped, the educationally disadvantaged and children
with a limited English-speaking capability.
MORE
Page 2
Dr. Aguirre and I will also continue my Adminis-
tration's important effort to make Federal aid to education
more effective than it has been in the past. Too often the
result of Federal programs has been to reduce local control
over education while creating a heavy burden of varying
regulations, differing standards and overlapping
responsibilities.
Too often we ask whether forms have been properly
filled out, not whether children have been properly
educated.
Earlier this year I proposed a block grant
program designed to cut red tape and to give State and
local authorities and teachers greater flexibility in
utilizing Federal aid. I have emphasized recently my
hope that America's third century will be known as the
century of the individual.
Next to the family, the best place to start
cultivating individuality is in the classroom, by
individualizing instruction. Declining enrollments,
for example, can be viewed as an opportunity to reduce
class size.
Our founding fathers realized an educated citizenry
is crucial to a free society. Ignorance and freedom cannot
co-exist. This gives America's teachers a special respon-
sibility and it gives America's Government a special
responsibility to hear their concerns.
We want to know and act upon the needs of
America's teachers. With Dr. Aguirre's help, we will
continue this effort. Only by being sensitive to teachers
can we achieve the educational excellence that is crucial
to our nation's future.
Now I will ask Associate Justice Potter Stewart
to administer the oath of office.
(Associate Justice Stewart administered the
oath of `office.)
MR. AGUIRRE: Mr. President, Mr. Justice Stewart,
Secretary Lynch, honored guests:
A well-informed, well-read, well-grounded citizenry
is vital to a democracy. Yet, basic skill development in
reading and mathematics appears to be falling behind in
some areas of our country. Post-secondary entrance examin-
ations often betray severe learning problems in the
lower grade levels.
Employers complain that many young workers cannot
write or spell. Our great nation is weakened by tolerating
such conditions. We must, therefore, build an alliance to
wage war against the ignorance that denies our people their
rightful opportunity at work, at play and at meeting their
responsibilities to self, to family and to country.
MORE
Page 3
With the Federal Government as a willing partner,
such an alliance will be based on the people, on the
teachers, the students, the parents and the other citizens
of this country whose tax dollars are the main support of
the structure of American education. It will include the
traditional establishment which depends on the people for
that support, State and local school agencies, colleges
and universities, private and church-related schools and
professional organization.
I join with you, Mr. President, in your effort
to cut red tape and to give State and local people greater
flexibility in the use of Federal aid. The influence of
the United States Office of Education can be used to
convene all those who might help make every school a quality
school, accessible to every young American, no matter
his or her language, human condition or socio-economic
level and no matter his or her level of aspiration.
In such an alliance, I view service as a priority
of the Federal Government, and I view my role as that
of one entrusted with an opportunity to help provide such
service in partnership with teachers, parents, students,
interested citizens, institutions and public servants at
all levels of Government.
Thomas Jefferson waged a war of eternal
hostility against any form of tyranny over the mind of
man. I consider educational deprivation the cruelest
form of tyranny and I call for all of us to unite in a
practical, achievable effort to overcome such tyranny.
Thank you very much.
END
(AT 2:42 P.M. EDT)