PRESS RELEASE
October 24, 1996

VICE PRESIDENT GORE, FIRST LADY HILLARY CLINTON KICK OFF
"NATIONAL EDUCATION DAY"
Activities Held in 30 States

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Vice President Al Gore and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton today joined thousands of educators across the country to celebrate the Clinton/Gore campaign’s "National Education Day." Vice President Gore addressed the Wisconsin Education Association Council in Madison, Wisconsin. The First Lady spoke before students at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio.

Companion press activities were held in 30 states. They brought together parents, students, and teachers to highlight the President’s ongoing efforts to improve education and to outline the choice millions of voters will make on November 5th.

Vice President Gore spoke of these efforts, "President Clinton and I believe that one of the most important tasks we can accomplish is to improve our nation’s education. That is why we expanded Head Start and the Pell Grant program. That is why the President signed the Goals 2000 program. We are fully committed to ensuring that our nation’s children get the best education that America can offer."

The First Lady spoke about the integral link between education and a prosperous America. "A strong America begins with education. The President and Vice President are continuing to build on polices that will strengthen our education system so that millions of young people will succeed as we move into the 21st Century."

Mickey Ibarra, Senior Advisor and Director of Special Projects for the Clinton/Gore Campaign, pointed out the stark differences between President Clinton and Bob Dole on the issue of education. "President Clinton has implemented initiatives that are not only making our schools safer, but have made learning easier and more affordable for millions of students and parents. In stark contrast, Bob Dole’s plan to improve education is to eliminate the Department of Education," he said.

Events around the country include a March for the Future in Pennsylvania, rallies in Idaho, Minnesota and New Jersey, and press conferences in New York, Alabama, and Kansas. Attached is the list of state activities.

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State-by-State Educators Rollout

ALABAMA:
Contact: Peggy Roberts 334-262-6887
Date: Wednesday 10/23
Activity: Press Conference at Clinton/Gore headquarters in Montgomery
Surrogates: Nancy Worley, president, Alabama Education Association Vickie Holloway, teacher Alicia and Carole Clark, student and parent

ALASKA:
Contact: Gail Gatton 907-274-6673
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Conference
Surrogates: John Cyr, President, Alaska Education Association
Rich Kronberg, President, Alaska Education Association
Robert Gottstein, member, Statewide Board of Education
Bert McCurtcheon, teacher
Phil Barnes, teacher
Claire Dennerlein, student

ARIZONA:
Contact: Lisa MacSpadden 602-253-9600
Date: Tuesday 10/22
Activity: Presentation during program at Red Mountain High School Teachers & Students
Surrogates: Secretary Mickey Kantor

DELAWARE:
Contact: Peter Woolfolk 302-998-6041
Date: Thursday 10/24
Theme: President’s record on education
Activity: Press Conference at a Latin American Community Center
Surrogate: Miriam Cruz, President’s Advisory Committee on Education

IDAHO:
Contact: Rachel A. Joseph 208-385-9696
Date: Friday 10/25
Activity: Rally at Boise State University Student Union
Surrogates: Former Governor Cecil Adams
John Greenfield, Democratic National Committee
Theresa Grant, President Boise State University College Democrats

INDIANA:
Contact: Jeff Fites 317-955-1846
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Conference in Evansville at the University of Southern Indiana
Surrogate: Jonathan Weinzapfel, Candidate for Congress
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity 2: Press Conference in Anderson
Surrogate: Mark Carmichael, Congressional Candidate

IOWA:
Contact: Julie Stauch 515-244-9696
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Availability outside a school in Des Moines
Surrogate: Teachers and students handing out apples

KANSAS:
Contact: Joe Wagner 913-354-4696
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Conference in Topeka at the Kansas Education Association Headquarters
Surrogate: Barbara Cole, president, Kansas Education Association

MAINE:
Contact: Deborah Cook 207-774-1396
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Event at a technical school
Surrogates: Tom Allen, Congressional Candidate

MARYLAND:
Contact: Jess Sarmiento 410-662-4470
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Event at Johns Hopkins University
Surrogates: Governor Glendenning

MASSACHUSETTS:
Contact: Doug Hattaway 617-227-0496
Date: Monday 10/21
Activity: Education report card event at the Springfield Community College
Surrogates: Parents, teachers and students
Date: Thursday 10/17
Activity: Student Speakout at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
Surrogates: Congressman Joe Kennedy

MINNESOTA:
Contact: Peter Hamm 612-642-9600
Date: Wednesday 10/31
Activity: Rally on Capitol steps in St. Paul
Surrogates: Teachers and members of the Minnesota Education Association
Judy Schaubauch, Minnesota Education Association

MISSOURI:
Contact: Nina Thompson in Kansas City 816-363-0096
Contact: Rachel Fayman in St. Louis 314-647-0880
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Availability at University of Missouri
Surrogates: Ben Simmons, director, Missouri Education Association
Patty Shoemaker, director student services, Missouri Education Association Members of Young Democrats

NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Contact: Jennifer Miller 603-626-6696
Date: Friday 10/25
Activity: Press Conference in Concord
Surrogates: Teachers and parents

NEW JERSEY:
Contact: Jo Astrid-Glading 908-296-8848
Date: Sunday 10/27
Activity: Teachers rally in Cherry Hill
Surrogates: Congressman Torricelli
Mayor Susan Bass Levin
New Jersey Education Association members
Parents

NEW MEXICO:
Contact: Anne Uhring 505-262-9600
Date: Saturday 10/26
Activity: Press Availability at American Federation of Teachers/National
Education Association meeting
Surrogates: Antoinette DeSillo-Lopez, State Director, Clinton/Gore ‘96

NEW YORK: Contact: Max Smith 212-253-9456
Date: Monday 10/28
Activity: Press Conference in New York City
Surrogates: Mark Green, Public Advocate
New York State Union of Teachers members
United Federation of Teachers members
National Education Association members

NORTH CAROLINA:
Contact: Hal Kwalwasser 919-831-0661
Date: Friday 10/25
Activity: New Teachers conference in Greenboro
Surrogates: Cecil Banks, President, North Carolina Association of Educators State Teacher of the Year
Representative of the Gilford County Education Association
State President of the Parent Teacher Association

OHIO:
Contact: Jay Byrne 614-280-1996
Date: Thursday 10/24
Theme: President’s commitment to education and community
Activity: Rally on the steps of the Baker Center at Ohio University in Athens
Principal: First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
Participant: Ted Strickland, Congressional Candidate

OKLAHOMA:
Contact: Elissa Dozona 405-524-9996
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Rally in Oklahoma City
Surrogates: Teachers

PENNSYLVANIA:
Contact: Adrienne Schwartz in Pittsburgh 412-434-7456
Contact: Tricia Enright in Philadelphia 215-985-4096
Date: Friday 10/25
Activity 1: Press Conference at an elementary school library learning center in
Philadelphia Surrogates: Teachers, nurse, principal Students
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: March for the Future in Pittsburgh
Surrogates: Christine Vaflor, Student, University of Pittsburgh
Stephen Russell, public school principal
Mary Artuso, public service employees of America
Sherman Shrager, middle school teacher
Elaine Napper, American Federation of Teachers

RHODE ISLAND:
Contact: Cindy Gire 401-273-9396
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Bridge event on the downtown Pawtucket Bridge from Rhode Island to Connecticut
Surrogates: State Representative David Panciera (RI)
First Selectman Maranell of Stoneytown (CT)
Students

SOUTH CAROLINA:
Contact: Mary Nicholson 803-256-4004
Date: Saturday 10/26
Activity: Rally in Columbia
Surrogates: Mayor Bob Cobel, chair, Clinton/Gore ‘96 Advisory Committee
Members of the South Carolina Education Association

TENNESSEE:
Contact: Patrick Willard 615-320-3889
Date: Friday 10/25
Activity: Press Conference in Nashville
Surrogates: Teachers
Members of the Tennessee Education Association

Date: Friday 10/25
Activity: Press Conference in Clarkville
Surrogates: Teachers
Members of the Tennessee Education Association

TEXAS:
Contact: Margaret Justus 512-469-6096
Date: Friday 10/25
Activity: Press Conference in Dallas
Surrogates: Cheryl Walker, president, Classroom Teachers of Dallas
Jose Plata, Dallas ISD School Board member
Pauline Dixon, teacher
John Hutchenson, teacher

UTAH:
Contact: Nelson Reyneri 801-322-1996
Date: Tuesday 10/29
Activity: Press Conference
Surrogates: Superintendent, teachers, students

VERMONT:
Contact: Elli Kaplan 802-865-4496
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Conference after a National Education Association event
Surrogates: Bob Chase, President, National Education Association
Students -- will ask questions regarding Clinton/Dole education record

WASHINGTON:
Contact: Joe Cerrell 206-287-1996
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity: Press Conference in Ellensburg
Surrogates: Rick Locke, Congressional Candidate
Teachers

WEST VIRGINIA:
Contact: Dan Israel 304-347-8681
Date: Friday 10/25
Theme: President’s record on bringing computers/technology into schools
Activity: Press event at a Huntington middle school
Surrogate: Governor Caperton

WISCONSIN:
Contact: Jim Cullinan 608-257-1996
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity 1: Address to the Annual Convention of the Wisconsin Education Association Council at the Dane County Coliseum and Expo Center
Principal: Vice President Gore
Date: Thursday 10/24
Activity 2: Roundtable at Lowes Creek Early Learning Center (A Head Start program) in EauClaire
Principal: Mrs. Gore
Participant: Ron Kind, Congressional candidate