REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT TO MILWAUKEE STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND COMMUNITY
FOR RELEASE:
May 8, 2002
Contact: Dan Langan or Katy Mynster
(202) 401-1576
The White House today issued the remarks made by President Bush to Clarke Street Elementary School in Milwaukee. The president was accompanied by U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige.
10:29 A.M. CDT
THE PRESIDENT: I'd like to thank my friend, Rod Paige, who is the
Secretary of Education. (Applause.) Scott McCallum, your Governor,
welcome to your Governor. (Applause.) I want to thank the teachers who
are here.
(Applause.) Thank you all for teaching. I'm here because this is a great
school that believes every child can learn. It starts with a mind set that says
every child can learn. That means there's high expectations and there's a
willingness to make sure every child is learning.
I appreciate the curriculum you're using. We went a reading program that
we're quite familiar with in Texas--Rod and I are from Texas--and it's a
program that works. You're using a curriculum that has been proven to work, and
that's important. I want to thank the parents who are here. You've got a
responsibility to make sure your children come to school polite, prepared, ready
to learn. Make sure you encourage them to read more than they watch TV. I
know that's a monumental task, but it's important. It's important to make sure
every child learns to read. And parents have got a lot of responsibility to
make sure their children learn to read.
I want to thank the Boys and Girls Clubs that are involved here, as well.
I appreciate that. We're going to change America one heart and one soul and one
conscience at a time. And the Boys and Girls Clubs are an integral part of
providing help, particularly in after-school programs. And I want to thank you
for being here.
Okay, I've got some questions for you. Ready? How many of you are going
to college? (Applause.) That's good news. See, that means you've set a
goal. In order to meet that goal, you've got to really be good readers, and
you've got to study, and listen to your teachers.
How many of you read more than you watch TV? (Laughter.) With all due
respect to the cameras, I hope you read more than you watch TV. You learn a lot
more. It will help you get ready. See, if you raised your hand and said you
wanted to go to college, in order to make sure you help achieve that goal,
practice your reading. A good way to do it is to turn your TV sets off, and
practice.
And, finally, in order to go to college, to meet the goal you've set, make
sure you make right choices. Tell them, no, when somebody tries to say drugs
are cool, or alcohol is good. Make the right choices. You'll be in college,
and that's what we want.
I'm so glad that we could come by to see you all. God bless you all, and
thanks for letting me come by. (Applause.)
END 10:33 A.M. CDT
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