Remarks at the White House Conference on School Safety

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Oct 19, 1998

Lastly - I've spoken a little longer than I meant to because I want to really hear the panelists, but I return to the theme on which I began and what I will do when I leave here in working for the peace process in the Middle East. We have got to do more to teach our young people to have tolerance and respect for one another, to understand the rich and only superficial dichotomy that the more we appreciate each other's diversity, the more we reaffirm the fundamental core values and existence we have in common.

The recent death of young Matthew Shepard in Wyoming makes it all too clear to us that violence still can be motivated by prejudice and hatred. Yes, we do need a new hate crimes law. And I have directed the Education Department Civil Rights Office to step up its enforcement to stop discrimination and harassment against students. But again, ultimately, we have to be reconciled to one another. We have to believe in one another's fundamental humanity and equal right to be here and to become whatever they can become.

And I hope that all of us - the young people of this country, because our school population is more diverse than ever before, and because to some extent they are unburdened by some of the problems that their parents and grandparents grew up with, can go either way with this issue. If they become the victims of a kind of a current climate of prejudice and bigotry and a sense of opposition and isolation because of our increasing diversity, it could wreak total havoc in this country in a way that we can't even imagine and even couldn't have imagined in the old days of the civil rights years. But if they do what they will do, left to their own better selves, then the increasing diversity of America is something that will guarantee us renewed strength, unparalleled opportunities in the 21st century world. So I don't think we should forget that, either. In the end, the human heart still counts for quite a great deal, and we ought to bring out the best in all the ones we can.

Now, I would like to start the program, and I'm going to sit down to do it. And I'd like to begin with Mr. Kent, Jamon Kent, who is the superintendent of the Springfield, Oregon, public schools, that I had the honor to visit after the terrible incident there. And because we're running a little late, I'm going to do something a little bit unconventional. I'm going to call on all the panelists to make their remarks and then open for questions, starting with Mr. Kent.

[At this point, the panel discussion began.]

The President. I don't want to violate my own rule, so I won't ask a question, but I do want to highlight one thing he said, because if it resonates with your experience, then we need your feedback to the Attorney General and to the Secretary of Education, ultimately, to the Congress.

We now have a national policy of zero tolerance for guns in schools. Last year I believe the number of - the Secretary of Education can correct me if I make a mistake - last year I believe there were 6,000 children who were found - students who were found with guns. Guns were taken, and they were sent home. This actually happened in Oregon to this young man right before he came back the next day and killed the kids.