Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 112 Part 5.djvu/1034

 112 STAT. 3792 PROCLAMATION 7118—SEPT. 9, 1998 day the flag shall be flown at half-staff until sunset upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions; and at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fifth day of August, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety- eight, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-third. WILLIAM J. CLINTON Proclamation 7118 of September 9, 1998 America Goes Back to School, 1998 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation Across America, millions of children are beginning a new school year with a sense of excitement and anticipation, taking another important step toward their future. As caring parents and responsible citizens, we must work together to niuliu"e their love of learning and to ensure that the education they receive provides them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the 21st century. The Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is taking a leadership role in this important endeavor. The partners in this effort include the Department of Education and more than 4,000 schools, colleges, and universities; community, cultural, and religious groups; businesses; elected officials; policymakers; and the men and women of our Armed Forces. They have pledged to ^ipport our initiative, entitled "America Goes Back to School: Get Involved! Stay Involved!" Across the country, the Partnership is working to encourage family and community involvement in children's learning and to create innovative solutions to education issues at the grassroots level. I have set ambitious goals for America's educational system, and we must pursue them with vigor if we are to prepare our Nation for the challenges and possibilities of the next century. We must have strong standards of achievement and discipline and well-trained, dedicated teachers in every classroom. We must work to reduce class size so all our children get the individual attention they need, especially in the critical early grades. We must build new schools, modernize existing ones, and expand public school choice by strengthening Federal support for charter schools. We must bring computers, communications technology, and the latest educational software into the classroom so that every American student is technologically literate and can take advantage of today's information revolution. My Administration is also committed to making our schools safe and orderly places where teachers can teach and children can learn. With the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program, we have supported schools and communities that offer antitruancy, curfew, school uniform, and

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