Opening remarks at a roundtable discussion on education and an exchange with reporters in Silver Spring, Maryland

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, March 23, 1998

Today I want to say that later this year I intend to convene a group of business leaders specifically to discuss ways that they can contribute to raising student performance across our country. Universities can also help by strengthening their programs in math and science teaching so that more students will consider teaching as a career, and so that our newest teachers will be better prepared than ever for the classrooms of the 21st century.

Finally, we need help from our parents, who should encourage and insist on teachers and students who do their best. I think it is profoundly important that parents keep up not only with the progress of their children in the courses they're taking but also in whether they're taking the right courses.

If we all do our part, I'm convinced this is a challenge that we can clearly meet.

Secretary Riley.

[At this point, Secretary of Education Richard W. Riley and William Schmidt, national research coordinator, Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS), made brief remarks.]

Kathleen Willey

Q. Mr. President, Kathleen Willey says that you made unwanted sexual advances toward her, and that directly contradicts your testimony. You can't both be telling the truth, can you?

The President. Well, I don't know what she said, because I didn't see the interview last night. But I can tell you this: Ever since this story came out months ago - and as you know, the story has been in three different incarnations - I have said that nothing improper happened. I told the truth then. I told the truth in the deposition.

I am mystified and disappointed by this turn of events. But it's been out there for several months, as well as conflicting stories from people who have discussed it with her. You'll have to find the answer to that riddle somewhere else. But I can just tell you that I have done everything I could do to clarify the situation. I have a very clear memory of the meeting, and I told the truth.

Q. Mr. President, do you stand by your full deposition - [inaudible] - in the Paula Jones case? And should that serve as your explanation to the American people of what went on - [inaudible]?

The President. I certainly stand by the deposition.

Q. Will you make a further explanation to the American people, as you suggested you would when this story first broke?

The President. Well, I did suggest that, but that was before the deposition was illegally released, and it basically states my position. Whether and what else will be said I think is something that we'll have to deal with in the future, depending on how circumstances unfold.

NOTE: The President spoke at 11:26 a.m. in the Media Center at Springbrook High School. In his remarks, he referred to Kathleen E. Willey, former White House volunteer who has given testimony in both the Paula Jones lawsuit and Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr's investigation. Mrs. Willey was interviewed on the CBS News "60 Minutes" program on March 15.