Remarks at Sophie B. Wright Middle School in New Orleans, Louisiana

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 4, 1999

Now, Congressman Jefferson had it right. We have to demand more of our schools and invest more in them. Our balanced budget calls for spending $200 million to help schools turn around if they're not performing well or shut them down and let parents choose other public schools if they don't turn around. But it is wrong to blame the kid, and it's wrong not to give the schools a chance. And we know these schools can be turned around if they have the resources and a good plan and they work the plan.

We've got to do better in Washington, and that's my job. But I was, 12 years, Governor of your neighboring State of Arkansas. And I know - I know - how important education is. You know, as President, the future of our children is the most important thing of all. But I have to pursue it in many ways. I have to preserve the national security. I have to work on making sure that we have Social Security and Medicare in a solid way, so that when the baby boomers retire, it doesn't bankrupt our kids and their ability to raise our grandkids. But if you're the Governor, the most important thing you ever have to do is see to the education of our children.

Now, here's why I know Bill Jefferson cares about that. He was too modest to say this, but he was born very poor in a small town, and his parents and his teachers and his school helped him work his way all the way to Harvard University. Then he married a wonderful woman who is even smarter than he is. [Laughter] And they have had five magnificent daughters who have all had brilliant academic careers, four of them already gone through Harvard. Why? Because they had a good plan. They believed in education. They had parents and teachers and schools and students, and they worked at it steadily.

So, no matter what I do as your President, you still need in Louisiana a Governor you know will fight for more teachers, for better teacher training, for better pay, for smaller classes, and for modern school buildings, for high standards and strong support.

I can tell you, he's fought with me every step of the way in Washington. When we had to vote in 1993 to bring down the deficit and increase spending in education, and I said we had to balance the budget, but we weren't going to cut education. We were going to do more, all the members of the other party were against me. The bill carried by one vote. To a major extent, the economic prosperity America enjoys today belongs to one vote, and it carried in one vote. If Bill Jefferson hadn't been in Congress and voted the right way, we might not be standing here today.

So let me say, I don't want him to leave, especially while I'm still in Washington. [Laughter] But he really can do even more good in Baton Rouge. And remember, twice he was voted the Outstanding State Legislator in the Louisiana Legislature. He's fought for you in Washington; he'll fight for you and our children's education in Baton Rouge. And I am honored to be here with him today at this wonderful school.

Thank you, and God bless you.