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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 18, 1999

Statement by NEA President Bob Chase in response To Vice President Gore's Remarks on Education

"Vice President Gore sends a strong, positive message to Americans that education is the key to our national aspirations. He clearly understands that the success of our schools and our students will play a major role in determining America's economic, social, and intellectual leadership in the world.

"We strongly concur with the Vice President's proposals to attract and retain talented teachers into the profession, because the single most important determinant in a child's education is the quality of the classroom teacher. His belief in a combination of high entrance requirements, professional compensation, rigorous performance evaluations, lifelong professional development, and periodic recertification will go a long way toward creating a teaching force of the highest caliber.

"Equally important, the Vice President wants those talented teachers working in safe, modern schools, with small class sizes, good working conditions, and access to the latest educational technology. Those are goals that all Americans support for their children, and they will have a demonstrable and positive impact on student achievement."