    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
    [October 11, 2005]
    [Page 1542]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Remarks to Reporters in Pass Christian, Mississippi
    October 11, 2005

        Listen, first I want to thank the superintendent for inviting us
    here. The schools of Pass Christian are blue ribbon schools. And they
    have been blue ribbon schools before, and they'll be blue ribbon schools
    in the future. Part of the health of a community is to have a school
    system that's vibrant and alive. And in spite of the fact that a lot of
    equipment was damaged and homes destroyed and teachers without places to
    live and--this school district is strong, and it's coming back. And it's
    a sign that out of the rubble here on the gulf coast of Mississippi is a
    rebuilding, is a spirit of rebuilding.
        And thank you all for having us. I want to thank the principals and
    teachers for understanding the quality of education--the quality of the
    education in a community helps define the nature of the community. And
    one of the things that's interesting is the high school
    principal told Laura
    and me that the--and Madam Secretary--
    that the high school was deemed to be a blue ribbon high school after
    Katrina hit. And yet a lot of the students don't know that yet. And so
    when the high school comes back next Monday, the first thing the
    principal is going to tell them is that the school that they go to, even
    though the building is different--the buildings are different--is a blue
    ribbon high school.
        And the superintendent says, blue ribbon
    high school last year, this year, and next year. And I appreciate your
    spirit. Thanks for letting us come by.
        Thank you all. Bye-bye. Good to meet you.

    Note: The President spoke at 10:54 a.m. at DeLisle Elementary School. In
    his remarks, he referred to Sue Matheson, superintendent, Pass Christian
    School District; Cathy Broadway, principal, Pass Christian High School;
    and Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings.