 Secretary of Education William Bennett ladies and gentlemen the President of the United States. It is my honor to welcome you to Prince George's County and Suitland High School the home of the Rams. You see we have some school spirit here today. Mr. President everybody everybody knows that you like to hear a good story. A story that has a good moral. A story of success. The people at this table have a good story to tell you Mr. President and we're delighted everyone here is delighted that you came to hear it. Let me just very briefly introduce each of the people at the table and then we will hear from them in order. First Dr. John Murphy Superintendent of Prince George's County Schools. Mr. Ray Laplacca, President of Prince George County's Business and Advisory Council. A teacher favorite. Mr. Joe Herston, Principal of Suitland High School. Our teacher. A student favorite. Ms. Camille McCann, Teacher. The person about whom this is all about representing fellow students here at Suitland. President of the senior class Robin Hicks. Superintendent Murphy. Mr. President thank you for coming. Sure. I have the great honor and privilege ladies and gentlemen, students, teachers, all to introduce to you my boss, man deeply committed to the education of America's children, the leader of the free world, President of the United States Ronald Wilson Reagan. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you all. I think I'm the reason why the program was delayed a little this morning. I was late and the principal has told me I got to stay after school but it's it's an honor to be here with you to celebrate all that you've done to make this school so outstanding. It so happens that visiting a school reminds me of something I heard just the other day. Seems a certain little boy had reached school age and his mother worked very hard to make him enthusiastic about the idea. Bought him new clothes, told him about the other children he would meet, got him so excited about the project that he eagerly went off on the first day. Came home with excellent reports of what school was like. Well next morning his mother went into the bedroom and said he had to get up and he said what for? She said you've got to go to school. He said what again? It is a pleasure to be at this wonderful school, this school that makes people want to come back. It wasn't so long ago of course that Suitland High School had its problems, bad problems, low academic performance, vandalism, poor attendance by both students and teachers alike. Yet today you've turned Suitland around to make it a school noted for its strong sense of purpose and pride, harmony, and yes academic achievement. I wonder would you take a moment to join me in applauding your own remarkable accomplishment? Well now we've heard Principal Herston and others tell us how this transformation has taken place. Before taking your questions I'd like to discuss with you how we might work this same transformation in schools all across America. The first point to make is that money alone isn't the answer. From 1963 to 1980 for example the amount our nation spent on education in real terms more than doubled. Yet during precisely that same period college board scores fell by almost 90 points. Considered to the state of New Hampshire. New Hampshire spends less on education per student than almost every state in the Union. Yet for a number of years now New Hampshire students have had the nation's highest SAT scores. Now please don't misunderstand me funding is important, very important. In fact the amount our country will devote to education this year at all levels of government, local state, and federal will total over 300 billion dollars. But money is only money unless it represents genuine commitment, a willingness to work harder improving American education to become involved then money by itself is all but meaningless. You know I've thought more than once that back when we were throwing money at education well we were sort of like the parent who will buy his child expensive toys and clothes who will give his child just about anything except his own time and commitment. But perhaps the greatest difficulty facing our educators today is this. In too many school systems if you're a teacher, principal, or superintendent and you do something very good for your students nothing good happens to you. In a word there are too few rewards. We need to change that. We need to reward excellence in education as we reward excellence in other fields. We need in other words to introduce education to some free market principles things like incentives and accountability. An example of incentives is programs now under consideration in some areas programs that reward teachers and administrations for improved student performance. As for an example of accountability well you needn't look any further than Superintendent Murphy's applied anxiety room. Posted in his office are the test scores showing the performance of all the schools in Prince George's County. John Murphy holds principles accountable for results. This is the kind of tough sound management we need in our schools. Educational excellence also means getting parents involved. It means taking innovative steps to attract and reward good teachers based on their performance. And it means alternate certification opening up the teaching profession to allow more qualified men and women to enter the field. Excellence means community involvement and your advisory council for business and industry as we've heard is a fine example of this. And of course educational excellence depends on choice. I've long argued that parents should have more choice in determining the schools that their children will attend. I've long argued that more choice would lead to better education. So I've advocated tuition tax credits and education vouchers. One form of choice magnet schools is one of the things Prince George's County is most noted for and is one of the great success stories of the education reform movement. The success of Suitland's own magnet programs, the Visual and Performing Arts Center and University High School is a testament to their worth. In helping to foster magnet schools, we helped foster improved education. In 1987, a four million dollar Department of Education grant was made to Prince George's County for magnet school programs, such as the kind that you have here at Suitland High School. It's been a good investment. I'm to think of it. I wish all federal dollars got that kind of return. And since I'd like to see magnet schools program expanded, I'm going to ask the Congress to increase the size of the current program next year by over 50% from 72 million dollars to 115 million dollars. With these additional funds, we can help more schools do what you've done so well in Prince George's County. I've talked for a while about how we can make our own schools better, but I haven't yet told you why I believe this is so important. What it comes down to is this. It is here in Suitland High and schools like it around the country that our future is being shaped. Recently, the headlines have been full of a term called superconductivity. This paper struggled to keep up with the seemingly daily breakthroughs in the lab. Only a year ago, superconductivity was considered a scientific backwater phenomenon with little practical purpose. Now scientists are saying it may change our lives. It shows all the dreams we have had can come true. The sky is the limit, said one theorist. We're moving from an age of things to an age of thoughts of mind over matter. It is the mind of man, free to invent, free to experiment, free to dream that will shape the economy and the world of the future. Permit me to offer enclosing one final message and it's a message from my heart. If you heard my radio talk last Saturday, then you'll know about a new report on drug use by America's students, including high school students like you. We've had so much bad news about drugs lately, but if you want some good news, just listen. According to the report released by our Secretary of Health and Human Services, Dr. Otis Bowen, last year, for the first time since these surveys began, a substantially smaller number of high school students, one-third smaller, acknowledged current use of cocaine than acknowledged it the year before. And cocaine is no longer fashionable. Far from it, 97% of the students surveyed disapproved of regular cocaine use, while 87% disapproved of even trying it. The use of marijuana and amphetamines is also down. What it all means is this, America's young people are getting the message. Drugs are ugly. Drugs are nothing to brag about. Drugs kill. And this is so important as you look to the future. You see in the 21st century, staying employed will mean more than just knowing something. It'll mean being able to keep on learning. It'll mean having character and discipline and being proud of yourselves. There won't be opportunities in years to come for those who handicapped themselves with drug use now. My young friends, you've done so much already turning this school around, learning to learn, learning to look to the future with confidence. I can't tell you how proud I am of you. Keep it up. Keep on saying yes to life. And when it comes to drugs, take a tip from a friend of mine who just happens to be named Nancy Reagan. Just say no. Thank you. God bless you. Mr. President, I understand you have a few minutes remaining. We have some students out in the audience that would like to answer you a few questions. Mr. President, my name is Felicia Funderberg and I'm president of Sutin and Student Government Association. One of the most important questions facing high school seniors today is what college they plan to attend and what career goals they plan to pursue. When you are a high school senior, what career goals that you want to pursue and how did you plan for it? And what advice can you give young people today as they embark on their careers? You've asked a question and I know you're expecting an answer of saying something about having decided to do something or other. No, I'm delighted to answer this and encourage you. Don't be concerned because you haven't made up your mind. I graduated from college with a degree in economics and sociology and still had not been able to pin down exactly what I wanted to do. Now at that time I must say the demand was just maybe to get a job of any kind because I graduated at the very depth of the Great Depression, 1932. And so you thought anything might be. But it wasn't until it wasn't until I went back to my summer job to get a little money to go job hunting after I'd graduated. My summer job was life-guarding at a river beach in my hometown. And there were people who came out from the city and corporate heads and so forth with their families every summer and I'd taught their children to swim and so forth. And there weren't as many by 1932 with the result of what had happened in the crash. But one was there and he told me that if I could tell him what I wanted to do. He had contacts with a number of businesses and areas. He would do what he could to get me a job. But he said you've got to come back and tell me. And I went home and I thought and I finally realized that in spite of my degree in economics and sociology I wanted the theatrical world. Now there in the middle of Illinois I didn't have the nerve to say I wanted to be an actor. But radio was pretty new and I said I wanted to be a sports announcer in radio. Well he told me then he said well I don't have any contacts. There's nothing I can do to help you there. But he said maybe that's better. Let me give you some advice. He gave me the best advice I've ever had. He said now that you've determined that what you want to do. He said you start out knocking on doors telling people then at those doors what you want to do. Businesses. And some place along the line even in this depression you'll find someone in a radio station who knows that his business is going to depend on bringing younger people into the business to carry on. And then you'll get a job. And he says don't get discouraged if you go to a lot and knock on a lot of doors. Remember a salesman sometimes has to make 250 calls before he makes a sale. It turned out to be the greatest advice I was ever given. And sure enough one day in a station and it never bought Iowa. Turned down because they had just hired an announcer the day before and where was I why didn't I know that they were looking for one. On the way out after a number of turned downs I said to myself aloud how do you get to be a radio announcer if you can't even get a job in the station. Oh I've left out one thing he had told me don't ask to be a radio or a sports announcer. He said just ask for anything because you believe in the future of radio. Anything inside the station and then take your chances on there from getting to what you want. Well I got to the elevator and fortunately the program director that I'd been interviewed by was arthritic because I heard the thump of his canes coming down the floor before the elevator arrived and he was yelling to me to stop and wait. And I did and he asked me what was that you said about sports and I told him that's what my ambition was and he said what do you know about football. I said it played at eight years and he said could you tell me about a game and make me see it. I said I think so. He stood me in front of a microphone in a studio. He said when the red light goes on you start broadcasting an imaginary football game. He said I'll be in another room listening. And I remembered a game we'd played the year before my senior year we won in the last 20 seconds of the game with a long touchdown run and so forth. I could remember enough of the names so that I wouldn't have to fish for names and broadcasting it. So I started us out in the fourth quarter with the long blue shadow settling over the field and back in our own 35 yard line. Here's the play. But Cole has the ball going wide out to the right cuts back in over so forth and so on. He walked back into the studio and he said be her Saturday. You're broadcasting the Iowa Minnesota football game. And that's how I started my career as a sports announcer. I know I've taken a long time here but I know that this is a problem at your age that you're thinking so hard. So many of you what do I want to do and don't let it bother you that you haven't made that decision yet. You change your mind many times before it comes the right moment. But then when it comes just knock on the door of whatever you've chosen to do and ask until you find somebody that'll let you in. All right. I didn't mean to make a second speech but you touched a nerve. Good morning Mr. President. My name is Victoria Bell and I'm a member of the graduating class of 1988. Those of us who are of age have registered to vote. Could you please give us some advice on what a young person's role should be in politics today. Your role should be in what is it I didn't. What a young person's role should be in politics today. In politics. Well it was the last thing I thought I would ever end up in. I had completely different thoughts for most of my life. But I think what you should recognize is this. There is a little figure that says something. The 18 to 24 year old group of young people. Happens to be the lowest bracket with regard to voting. The smallest percentage of that bracket votes. We have a society that is unique in the world. It is based on the fact that we the people are the government. Our constitution differs from all but one other constitution in the world. Our constitution doesn't the government telling the people what their privileges are. Our constitution is we the people telling the government what it can do. Now government of that kind can only work if people participate. So whether you're interested in never becoming involved in politics yourself. Participate by that most fundamental thing of voting. But also when you make up your mind the thing that you believe in and whether it's party or what philosophy. Then participate volunteer in campaigns to be of help to really participate in what the government or who is going to be in the government. And then if from that experience you find that you want to actually engage in the issues of the day and having a say about them. Then you look around and pick where is the nearest and most available way or level of government and office that you can begin by seeking public office. And then when you get that public office make up your mind. I have told a cabinet as a governor of California and a cabinet as the president of the United States in discussing all the issues and what we're going to do about something. Don't anyone tell me what the best political way is. I don't want to hear what is right or wrong politically. I want to hear what is right or wrong morally about the issue and what we should do and make that be your goal as a participant in government. Good morning Mr. President. My name is Larry Braff and I'm a student with the visual and performing arts program. My question to you today is based on what you learned of our school today what educational programs and policies will your administration be advocating? What educational programs? What educational programs and policies will your administration be advocating? Well I probably should turn that question over to the secretary of education who's experienced in it but I would just take a chance myself if he wants to add anything to this. I think that the first thing we at the federal level must recognize is that our great system of education is managed by and run by the people at the local and state level and the federal government should be of help where it can but it should not involve itself in trying to dictate to the schools of America. Do you want to add to that? I couldn't say it better myself. Maybe I would just underline what you said in your remarks Mr. President. I think you will see emphasis from us on the points that we heard from this table. Accountability, choice, high expectations to help the kind of local effort we see here be duplicated all around the country. We have a great diversity in that in our education across this great land and more than education in the land itself and that is valuable to us. Good morning Mr. President. My name is Adrell Cabanus and I'm 11th grader here at Sulin. What could future leaders do to ensure the prevention of nuclear war? Wait a minute. I have a little trouble with. What could future leaders do to ensure the prevention of nuclear war? Seeing a war? What can we all do with regard to preventing a war that you're talking about? Well, having seen four of them in my lifetime, I'm hoping and praying that we can't avoid one. But I do know this. We have to be practical. We have to be realistic. We have to be totally in favor of peace ourselves and doing all that we can to maintain peace. My first words in my meeting with Gorbachev in Geneva, Switzerland, when he and I met in a room, just the two of us and well with interpreters, I said to him that we were in a unique situation, the two of us from these two great powers, that we could perhaps bring on a war or we could bring on peace for the world. And I said, I think what we have to recognize is we mistrust each other and we are both heavily armed. And I said, we don't mistrust each other because we're armed. We're armed because we mistrust each other. And so our goal, even though we're going to talk about trying to reduce weapons and lower the military threat, that our main goal must be to eliminate the mistrust that has caused us to build those armaments. And I think that this country, we have an order now to maintain peace. The great seal of the United States with the eagle and its head turned in one claw has arrows and in the other claw has the olive branch designating peace. The older seal, the one on my desk in the Oval Office because it's an old, old desk, the eagle is looking at the claw with the hat with the arrows on the ceiling because the building is newer. On that seal, the eagle is looking at the claw with the olive branch. Harry Truman after World War II decided that our seal should be changed and that our eagle, our bird, should be looking at peace, not war. But at the same time, right now, I'm trying to convince the Congress, we have made great strides and this first treaty that has ever been signed of the actual elimination of arms has come about because we revealed to the world that we were going to deal from strength, that they could have their choice, engage in an arms race with us or join us in eliminating the causes of armament. And so we're pursuing that and it has been successful so far because after several years of turn down, we have signed the first treaty that ever eliminated a total system of nuclear weapons. And that's can take to correct the many trade imbalances that we have for countries. We're taking those steps as much as we can. But let me point something out. I happen to be one who believes that the imbalance in trade is not the terrible thing that it has been portrayed. Granted that we would like to export more. But for 100 years, while this country of ours was becoming the great economic power that it is, for all those 100 years, we had an imbalance of trade as we have now. We're the greatest exporter in the world. Now, I could caution you too, sometimes our statisticians don't use all the figures they should. For example, by the number of dollars of exports that we have does not include services, just things that are made to sell. I think there might be a little difference if we realized how much money comes in from abroad to insurance companies that sell insurance abroad, services of that kind, and it would balance up a little better. But if we're going to be the greatest exporter, we must recognize the right of other countries to export too, and therefore we're an importer. And I've always, this comes, I guess, from that degree in economics I got, I've always believed that the people in America who feel free to buy a foreign product, import foreign goods of some kind or another, that's their right to do that. And those people at the same time that they're sending money abroad, they're replacing that money with a product that has an actual money worth. And it's not that the government is involved in that. Where the government is involved is we have people in our Congress today who want protectionism, high tariffs that will keep people from being able to sell goods in our country without realizing that they can retaliate and then have high tariffs against us selling abroad. And back in that Great Depression that I mentioned earlier, 1932, two great mistakes were made in this country and by this country. One, we introduced a thing called the Smoot Hawley Tariff, which made it virtually impossible for anyone to sell anything in America. And that simply spread the Great Depression around the world. And the only thing that ended the Great Depression was World War II. And that was one lesson. The second lesson was the Congress of the United States also then increased the income taxes tremendously from one bracket of a one and a half percent to nine percent from another something like around 20 percent to 63 percent. And immediately the total amount of revenue that the government was getting was reduced even though the rates were higher. And so what we're fighting for is free and fair trade around the world. And we've made great progress with some of our trading partners who did have restraints and restrictions. But that opened free trade. And as I continue to insist, low tax rates here on ourselves in our own country to increase the incentive of people to earn more, we have reduced the taxes in our administration. And the total amount of revenue the government is getting from that tax has increased mightily. About a thousand years ago, a man named Eben Caldoon said in the beginning of the empire, the rates were low when the revenue was high. At the end of the empire, the rates were high and the revenue was low. So we're going to stick with what we're trying to do. And we can use all the help that you'll give us. Good morning, Mr. President. I am Len Walder, a freshman in the University High School. My question to you is this, what do you feel was your major accomplishment as president? And what would you most like to be remembered for as president of the United States? Well, I'd just like to be remembered. But, well, I would be I'd be satisfied if they just would say I did my best. But, and now wait a minute here, you got me so off base here on the first part of that question. What, oh, what accomplishment? It's rather difficult to pick things out of all the things that we try to turn around and change. The economy was in a shambles when we came here. We were in a great recession. Interest rates were sky high and inflation was in double digits. We turned all of that around. And for 61 months, we have had an expansion, an economic expansion, which is the longest period in the history of our nation for an economic expansion. But with all of that, I think I'd rather be remembered for the fact that not too many years ago, there was a great pessimism in our country and people were very critical and people didn't seem to be very proud of the flag anymore. And today, what I get in the mail and what I hear from people when I get out of Washington is that once again, they're proud to be Americans. And if I had anything to do with that, that's what I would be most proud of that once again. Just one line to finish now, and I appreciate very much and apologize for the length of my answers. But this thing about America, I got a letter from a man the other day. I'll share it with you. This man said, you can go to live in Turkey, but you can't become a Turk. You can go to live in Japan, but you cannot become Japanese or Germany or France and named all the others. But he said anyone from any corner of the world can come to America and become an American. With a token of our appreciation for your visit to Prince George's County, it's our annual poster and it says great things are happening at Prince George's County. And we're quite proud and we hope you'll remember things that we're doing here in our schools. And I think that this will look just great in the coming Reagan Presidential Library. Super. Mr. President, we have a we have another gift that we'd like to present to you. And this is a gift from the heart. As you know, Prince George's County and Suitland High School in Suitland, we have a performing arts component in our high school. And several of our stars would like to come out and give you a message today from the students at Suitland, from students in Prince George's County and from young people all across America.