Remarks and a question-and-answer session at Kramer Junior High School

Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, Feb 7, 1994

I want to ask you all, before I open the floor to questions, to think about what I said today. Yes, we need to do a better job in making the streets safer and the schools safer. Yes, we've got to do a better job of creating more jobs so you have some opportunity out there. Yes, we've got to do a better job of giving your schools the tools they need so that you can get the best possible education. But you've got to decide what happens to you. You have to decide whether you're going to give up on you or whether someday you're going to play football for the Cowboys and be in the Secret Service or go off to a fine school like Ohio State and come back and have a job at the White House. You have to make that decision. No President, no politician can make that decision for you. I haven't given up on the young people of this country. I think you are as smart and as good as any generation we have ever produced, and you deserve better, than you are getting. And I am going to try to make your streets safe, your schools better, and the job future better. But you also have to say, "I am going do the most I can with my life. I'm going to be what God meant for me to be." I'll try to keep up my end of the deal, and I want you to keep up yours. Thank you, and God bless you all.

Principal Ray Poles. Thank you, Mr. President. At this time, we will have some questions from our student body before the President comes--I would also like to take the opportunity to introduce to you our school board president, Ms. Linda Moody. It was an oversight on my behalf. Thank you, Ms. Moody. We will proceed with the questioning period. You have a mike, okay.

The President. Now, where are the mikes out in the audience? Where are they? Oh, okay. Now, how are we going to do this? The mikes have a long cord so that the ladies can go all the way up. If you've got a question or a comment, raise your hand, and they'll bring you the microphone. Don't be shy. There you go. Take mine. Tell us who you are and what grade you're in.

Coed Lunch

Q. I'm in the ninth grade. And I would like to know why Kramer ain't got coed lunches.

The President. Coed what?

Q. Lunch.

The President. Lunch? That's one thing I don't know the answer to. I don't know why Kramer doesn't have coed lunch, but surely the principal can answer the question before I leave. But if I were you, I'd want it, too. |Laughter~

Go ahead, listen now. You all be quiet and listen to your classmates, one at a time.

Crime Bill

Q. I am in the ninth grade, and I would like to know, in respect to the crime bill, what happens on the first or second strike?

The President. I'm sorry, I didn't--what?

Q. In respect to the crime bill, what happens on the first or second strike, since we're trying to avoid the third strike?

The President. What are the strikes?

Q. What happens on the first and second strike?

The President. Yes. Well, on the first or second, what happens--he's asking--the crime bill, there's a provision, that will be a provision which says if you commit three violent crimes, you can't be paroled. No parole after three violent crimes. You asked what happens on the first or the second crime. It depends on, frankly, what the offense was. In other words, those people will go through the criminal justice system. And let's suppose it's an armed robbery, and the maximum sentence is 20 years, and a jury gives 15 years. Then the person will go to prison under a 15-year sentence and will be eligible for parole after serving a certain amount of that time.