    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
    [April 15, 2000]
    [Pages 724-725]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 724]]

    The President's Radio Address
    April 15, 2000

        Good morning. As we prepare next week to mark the one-year
    anniversary of the tragedy at Columbine High School, our thoughts turn
    to the safety of our communities, schools, and children. All of us--
    parents, schools, communities, and government--share responsibility to
    keep our children safe. We've all got to do our part. This morning I
    want to talk about three steps our administration is taking to support
    school and community efforts to prevent youth violence.
        We know the best approach to the problem of youth violence is a
    comprehensive one. That means students and parents, teachers and police
    officers, judges, counselors, and religious leaders all working
    together. That's why we created the Safe Schools/Healthy Students
    initiative, to find and fund the best local ideas for preventing youth
    violence. Today I am announcing $40 million in new grants for 23 school
    districts that have come up with innovative and successful strategies to
    reach out to troubled young people. These districts are bringing school
    nurses and counselors together to respond to warning signs like
    depression or bullying. They're improving classroom security and
    expanding after-school and mentoring programs. From little Arkansas
    towns to big California cities, they're making a difference in the lives
    of our children and our communities.
        Second, I'm announcing new grants under our COPS in Schools
    initiative, providing more than $60 million for police officers to work
    in schools in more than 220 communities. The vast majority of our
    schools are safe places for kids to learn. But any violent incident is
    one too many. This initiative helps to hire and train school resource
    officers to be a real part of children's daily lives, using the
    community policing strategies that have made neighborhoods safer all
    over America. Already it has placed 2,200 officers in more than 1,000
    communities across our Nation, where they are heightening school safety
    as well as coaching sports and acting as mentors and mediators for kids
    in need.
        Third, I'm announcing a new initiative to support counseling
    programs for elementary schools. The Department of Education has set
    aside $20 million to fund local grant proposals, because we have seen
    all too clearly that even our youngest children sometimes need our help.
    When I was Governor of Arkansas, Hillary and I helped our State to
    become the first State in America to mandate counselors for schools,
    elementary schools. We want to help all of our elementary schools who
    are willing to have the same sort of support.
        Here at the White House, I've created a Council on Youth Violence to
    coordinate the work of the Federal agencies. We know the key to all of
    our success, however, is leadership in the community, at the grassroots.
    Last year I challenged Americans from community organizations, the
    media, business, and all walks of life to mobilize against youth
    violence. The result was the National Campaign Against Youth Violence,
    working to bring together a cross-section of citizens to keep our
    children safe.
        Just this week in Memphis, the National Campaign kicked off a
    nationwide initiative to put the resources of business in the service of
    safer, stronger communities. They'll visit 15 cities and sponsor town
    meetings and media events, mobilize young people, school officials,
    business and religious leaders. And in every city, the National Campaign
    will remind each of us of our responsibility to do all we can to keep
    America's children safer.
        Those of us who are parents have perhaps the greatest
    responsibility. We need to talk about safety and security in every house
    in America--beginning in the White House. That's why Hillary and I are
    sponsoring a White House Conference on Teenagers next month. We'll
    invite parents and teens, experts and educators to talk through the
    challenges of raising responsible children and the opportunities we all
    have to help our young people make the most of their lives.
        The great American author and champion of human rights Pearl Buck
    once said, ``If our American way of life fails the child, it fails us
    all.'' In our national struggle against youth violence, we must not fail
    our children. Our future depends on it.
        Thanks for listening.

    [[Page 725]]

     Note: The address was recorded at 5:20 p.m. on April 14 in the Rayburn
    Room at the Atlanta Airport Hilton and Towers in Atlanta, GA, for
    broadcast at 10:06 a.m. on April 15. The transcript was made available
    by the Office of the Press Secretary on April 14 but was embargoed for
    release until the broadcast.