THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Thank you. Laura and I are honored
to have you all here today and thank you for coming. Some of you have
been to the White House before, and I know we've got some first-time
visitors here.
For example, this will be the first time the Vowelles have ever
been to the White House. (Laughter.) Theo and Cleo Lion are also here
to sing a song titled "W Trouble." (Laughter.) I don't know the song,
but the theme is familiar. (Laughter.) My mom often used to
say, "The trouble with W" -- (laughter) -- although she didn't put
that to words.
We're delighted that so many children can be a part of this special
event here in the East Room. Thank you all for coming. It's so good
to see you. It is wonderful to see children so young and so eager to
learn, with so many fun opportunities to learn together. Every child
is born with a love of learning -- every child. We adults have a
responsibility to give them every possible chance to learn, and to
start early.
I appreciate the Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, for being here
today. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
I want to thank all the good folks at PBS for coming. I appreciate
your concern for our nation's children. And as Laura said, we've been
aware of your program for a long time.
I notice that we've got a larger-than-usual contingent of White
House staff here today. I know they're not here to see me.
(Laughter.) They're here to see Mr. Rogers. (Laughter.) When he
comes to the White House, it's sure to be a beautiful day in the
neighborhood. (Laughter.)
It is impossible for us to count the number of lives you have
touched. But you have had a huge impact on thousands and thousands of
children. And there are thousands and thousands of parents and
Americans who are grateful for your service to the country.
(Applause.) In "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," every child is welcomed
into the world of learning -- not just a few, not just ones from
certain neighborhoods, but every child.
Our goal as a nation must be to make sure that no child is denied
the chance to grow in knowledge and character from their very first
years. The public broadcasting system has excelled in carrying out
that responsibility.
Shows like "Between the Lines" bring a combination of charm,
creativity, inclusiveness and, as importantly, proven teaching methods
to the task of educating young children. And these shows are being
used in Head Start and day care centers to encourage early learning.
The "Ready to Learn" program helps make all these shows possible, and
my administration is proud to support it.
America is making great progress in education reform. We're
providing higher levels of support for our schools, higher standards
for performance in the classrooms. We're giving teachers the resources
and training necessary for their mission. We're respecting local
control of our schools, and respect the authority of parents, so that
moms and dads have greater say in how their children are educated.
Under the bipartisan reforms we passed into law, all students in
America have a better chance to learn and excel and to live out their
dreams. Yet, as we prepare our schools to teach, we must prepare our
children to learn. As we raise educational standards, which we must
do, each of our children needs an equal opportunity to meet those
standards.
And creating that opportunity must begin early, even before school
starts. On the first day of school, children need to know letters and
numbers. They need a strong vocabulary. And they need to love books.
These are the building blocks of learning, and this nation must provide
them.
Early learning is a priority for my government. By implementing a
new accountability system, we'll make sure every Head Start center is
providing early learning in the best way possible. Starting this
summer, we will train Head Start teachers in proven methods, to
encourage early reading and language skills. And the federal
government will work with states to promote early learning programs.
More than anyone else, parents need to be involved. Laura has
begun an important effort to get new parents the information they need
to start their sons and daughters on the path to learning. And we're
so proud to be working with PBS and a host of other organizations to
get this information out more broadly.
Reading to your children is a joy. We believe it's a
responsibility. Parents are the first teachers in their children's
lives, and they can also be the best.
I thank all the parents in this room for what you do, and for the
important example you set. I want to thank the teachers who are here
for devoting yourselves to one of the great callings in life. I want
to thank the broadcasters and others who play such an important part in
the life of our country.
Again, welcome to the White House. May God bless the nation's
children. And may God bless America. (Applause.)