1991-10-01 Remarks to Students and Faculty at Alice Deal Junior High School

1991-10-01 George H.W. Bush George Bush Presidential Library \President of the United States/addresses http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/research/public_papers.php?id=3450&year=1991&month=10 Remarks to Students and Faculty at Alice Deal Junior High School Remarks to Students and Faculty at Alice Deal Junior High School  Let me tell you why I've made the trip up from the White House to Alice Deal Junior High. I'm not here to teach a lesson. You already have a very good teacher. I'm not here to tell you what to do or what to think. Maybe you're accustomed to adults talking about you and at you; well, today, I'm here to talk to you and challenge you. Education matters, and what you do today, and what you don't do can change your future.

Every day, we hear more bad news about our schools. Maybe you saw today's headline, I don't know if you had a chance to look at it, about the release of the new National Goals Report. Get the camera to come in and take a look at this for a moment. In math, for instance, this national report card shows that, nationwide, five of six eighth graders don't know the math they need to move up to the ninth grade.

In spite of troubling statistics like this one, I don't see this report, however, as just bad news, and I'll tell you why. This report tells us a lot about what you know and what you don't know. It gives us something to build on. It shows us our strengths and the weaknesses that we've go to correct. It sets forth a challenge to all of us: Work harder, learn more, revolutionize American education.

&ldquo;Let me tell you why I've made the trip up from the White House to Alice Deal Junior High. I'm not here to teach a lesson. You already have a very good teacher. I'm not here to tell you what to do or what to think. ... I'm here to talk to you and challenge you. Education matters, and what you do today, and what you don't do can change your future.&rdquo;   