A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

"Campus Week of Dialogue" is a part of President Clinton's "One America" Initiative on Race, which he launched several years ago. The goal of the initiative is to engage the American people in a frank discussion of the issues of race and diversity.

This "Campus Week of Dialogue" is part of a special effort to bring America's young people into the discussion. We want to build a nation where we respect each other's differences and embrace the common values that unite us. To build that future, our young people must lead the way, and that's why we're holding these forums at college campuses around the nation.

The issues of race and diversity have played a central role in the history of American education. Throughout much of the last century, many of our citizens did not have access to a quality education. Racial and ethnic minorities, the disabled, girls and women, and the poor often found the doors of opportunity slammed shut. Their aspirations were dashed, not only by legal barriers, but also by the tyranny of low expectations. That remains a great human tragedy.

But, today, I see a new spirit in American education. Virtually every state is requiring higher standards and demanding results from its schools. We now believe that all children can learn, and even more than that, we believe that all children can learn to high standards. It's no longer acceptable to say that someone can't learn because of his or her race, or because of a disability, or because his or her parents are from a different country and he or she can't read English well. Yes, unfortunately, you will find that attitude still alive in some places. But we're not going to tolerate it any longer.

This new approach to teaching and learning is not only moral, it's smart. The sheer numbers make this clear.

For example, in less than 25 years, one in four students in our public schools will be Hispanic. Hispanics will account for about 30 percent of the students in all of the American West. Imagine what will happen to this nation if we ignore so many students. Or imagine what will happen to us if we ignore the education of other minorities. If we do that, we will build two-or even three or four-Americas. We will live in a fragmented nation with a permanent "education underclass" that will undermine our economy and democratic values.

Today, one of the greatest challenges that we face in education is to close the achievement gap that the old attitude created and of which minorities are the primary victims. Some people believe that vouchers are the way to close the gap. I disagree. Vouchers will rob our public schools of the resources they need to educate the vast majority of students. Vouchers are a terrible mistake.

There is a better way. California recently reported significant improvements in student achievement, particularly among Hispanic and other minority students. How did California do it? Not with gimmicks like vouchers, but by raising standards, reducing class size, and improving teacher training.

President Clinton, Vice President Gore, and I agree with this approach. It's not the easy road, but it's the road to success. That is why the president and vice president have asked the Congress for federal funds to help all states and communities to make the changes that will give us sustained improvement.

We also want to continue to open the doors of college to everyone. The Clinton-Gore Administration has increased student aid for college more than any other administration since President Roosevelt signed the G. I. Bill in 1944. These increases include record-high Pell Grants. As a result, more Americans are going to college today than at any time in our nation's history, and one-fourth of all college students represent racial and ethnic minorities.

Another encouraging sign is the 300 percent increase in the number of Hispanic high school students taking Advanced Placement tests. But we still must do a better job of bringing Hispanics and other minorities into higher education. Our GEAR UP initiative is helping. It is providing mentors to middle school students to help them prepare academically and financially for college.

But we also need to address the challenges in our elementary and secondary schools. We have asked Congress for funds to hire 100,000 well prepared teachers to reduce class size in the early grades. And we have proposed a new $1-billion teacher quality initiative to recruit and prepare good teachers to work in underprivileged areas.

We also want to continue to close the digital divide and connect all schools to the Internet. I grew up in a community segregated along racial lines. Working together we brought down these barriers. It would be a tragedy if our schools today are segregated by those that are online and those that aren't.

We want to invest in school modernization because too many of our schools are overcrowded or need repairs. Our schools need to reflect the high value we place on citizenship, community, and learning for all Americans. Every child should be in a school that is modern, safe, accessible to all students, including those with disabilities, and wired for modern technologies and Internet access.

So far, Congress has refused to fully fund the initiatives I've just mentioned. But the president and I will continue to fight for them because they are so important to the future of education and our nation.

My friends, I recently visited a school in Louisville, Ky. About 75 percent of the students were Hispanic and African American, and there were also students from Bosnia, Kosovo, Russia, and many other foreign countries.

You would expect to see such diversity in places like Chicago or New York. But today, we are seeing it in schools all over America. Some people see diversity as a liability. It isn't-it is a great asset. If we can give all our young people a first-rate education, we can build an America that is prosperous, strong, and democratic. I want to thank all of you for coming here today to help build that kind of nation. Thank you all very much.