    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1991, Book I)]
    [June 3, 1991]
    [Pages 601-602]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to Education Leaders
    June 3, 1991

        This is what we call in the White House a cameo appearance--in, out.
    [Laughter] But we have our new Deputy Secretary, number two in the
    Department, David Kearns here. I want to tell you something about him.
    He was the former chief executive of Xerox, and he comes to this big
    job, but with a total dedication and commitment to education. And I
    think it says a wonderful thing to our country that a man with his
    extraordinary business achievements--all the time, incidentally, when he
    was in that job he was constructively engaged in helping our schools and
    helping education. But here he is now working hand-in-hand with our very
    able Secretary, who all of you know and to whom I just once again
    express my real appreciation for the job he and this fantastic team
    we've got over there at the Department is doing.
        I'm not here, though, to talk about what the center can do for the
    people. That's not the way we're going to reform education in this
    country. What I want to do is talk about or just thank you for what you
    are doing and what we're counting on you to do as we reach out to
    achieve our national education goals, goals that were established in a
    totally nonpartisan way by the Governors, unanimously adopted by the
    Governors.
        Governor Romer was going to come on over here today, Governor
    Campbell with him on our education panels of the Governors' Association.
    But they've actively involved in another meeting which the three of us
    attended not so many minutes ago. And I say that because they wanted to
    be here, too. But we're grateful to Governor Romer of Colorado, Governor
    Carroll Campbell and the others that are participating on the Governors
    panel.
        Lamar and I were talking. He said, well, look, remind these people
    that they're the ones that stand at the center of this crusade to reform
    the American schools and to reach the six national goals that you all
    are familiar with, and reach them by the year 2000. It's a strong
    agenda, a tough agenda in some ways. But all of us are determined that,
    with your help, we can do it.
        So, what we talk about in the America 2000 strategy, you put into
    action. And the ideas for implementing a lot of our strategy has got to
    come from you all and thousands like you across this country. It can't
    succeed--we cannot dictate from Washington. I am not anti-Washington. I
    am not antibureaucracy. We've got some wonderful people who have given
    their lives in these Departments, but this program, America 2000, cannot
    succeed if we try to do it from Washington itself.
        And so, we've got to spread the message. And along those lines I'm
    going over to Delaware next week--I think with Lamar, I hope--to attend
    a graduation for graduates of an adult education program. One of our
    goals, as you know, is you're never too old to stop learning. And by
    going there we hope that this will put some focus on the program--many
    of you are already involved in that kind of education--give a boost to
    what you're doing and maybe in the process get some good ideas as to how
    we can do it better.
        Then the following week, I go by to Colorado and see Governor Romer,
    who's our chairman really of the Governors on this, in

    [[Page 602]]

    the education field, talking about the role of community in education.
    Once again, community in education, because we simply--dedicated though
    I know our people are here--can't get it done without a sense of
    community. Governor Romer and his colleagues in the Colorado 2000 effort
    are going to hold meetings in 176 locations across the State in a single
    night. I don't think he'll be at all of them, but nevertheless--
    [laughter]--he's a good man, but not that good.
        And that's an impressive effort. I cite it because it builds on this
    theme of participation that is absolutely essential. And we hope that
    kind of thing will happen all across the country. And so, we've urged
    all cities and States to take a few simple, commonsense steps to get the
    reform going in whatever way they feel they can be most effective.
    First, they have to adopt the goals for themselves, the national
    education goals. And as some of you know, there may be resistance here
    and there. But look at them carefully, put them all together, and I
    think you'll think it's the right approach or the right program for the
    country.
        And the approaches, they may well vary. They have to adopt these
    goals. They've got to devise a communitywide strategy to meet them,
    develop a report card system to assess progress towards the goals, and
    then be willing to create and support a new school.
        One of the aspects of this that Lamar has me fired up the most about
    is citizens and communities starting from scratch--and we haven't done
    it well enough yet--and creating new schools. And hopefully we'll be
    able, with the effort of David and Lamar, to supplement those efforts
    with some funds to get these things going in the different States.
        But it's a wonderful concept. And some may need longer school terms.
    Some may want to have varied hours. Some may want different curricula--
    whatever it is. But that's the genius of it, the diversity of it. And I
    think it's an exciting project.
        I think you can stimulate the kinds of local activities that you
    need, that we need, and I know you will. So, I really want to say
    thanks. Lamar told me you all are disproportionately involved for
    American citizens, so in some ways I'm singing and preaching to the
    choir. But the choir can get out there and get others in phase and get
    them creating.
        And of all the things that we're trying to do--we're trying to clean
    up the streets and help with the neighborhoods, and Barbara and I are
    trying to at least in some tiny way say how important we think family
    is. And we're trying to deal with the Soviet Union, and all of these
    things that you have the privilege of doing as President. But there's
    nothing that I feel more excited about or whose importance I think is
    priority than this program of America 2000.
        So, I've told the Secretary that I want to help in every way
    possible. And I mean it. And Barbara has already, in my view, set a
    pretty good example in her own way in terms of reading and the emphasis
    on that, and helping kids. But she's a Point of Light. You all are
    Points of Light. And we're going to do what we should do in terms of
    legislation and all of that, but I need your help. The country needs
    your help--your leaders. And I'm very grateful to those of you who are
    already out there doing the Lord's work in helping these young kids of
    ours. Thank you very, very much.
        In order to feel that you're never too old to learn, I'm going off
    to a lecture on Andrew Jackson's Presidency. And I expect I'll be better
    informed when I finish. But I will now turn this podium over to Lamar
    and to David. And again, with my sincere thanks to all of you, thank you
    very much.

                        Note: The President spoke at 4:45 p.m. in the Indian
                            Treaty Room of the Old Executive Office
                            Building. In his remarks, he referred to David
                            T. Kearns, Deputy Secretary of Education; Gov.
                            Roy Romer of Colorado, chairman of the National
                            Education Goals Panel; Gov. Carroll A. Campbell,
                            Jr., of South Carolina; and Secretary of
                            Education Lamar Alexander.