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CNN Live At Daybreak

Pledge Across America Involves Children in History

Aired October 12, 2001 - 08:23   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: And we're moving up on 24 minutes past the hour. Later on this morning thousands of American school children will be lifting their voices in a patriotic pledge. Education Secretary Rod Paige joins us now from outside the White House to talk about the pledge across America.

Welcome Mr. Secretary.

EDUCATION SECRETARY ROD PAIGE: Thank you -- thank you.

ZAHN: So exactly what is "Pledge Across America"?

PAIGE: This was a wonderful idea by Celebration USA, a California non-profit organization that was started by a wonderful teacher California -- a former teacher from California who was looking for ways to get children involved in understanding more about our wonderful history.

ZAHN: And what is going to happen? At 2:00 in many schools across the country, kids ...

PAIGE: Well ...

ZAHN: ... will say the pledge.

PAIGE: Yes we hope at all schools across the country. We've invited everyone -- all schools across the country to at this particular time -- 2:00 Eastern Time to join in on a unified Pledge of Allegiance -- pledge across all nations -- one big voice unified saying our pledge.

ZAHN: And what kind of difference do you think this will make?

PAIGE: Well our children are involved in what's going on in today's world. This offers a wonderful opportunity for them to focus on the values of this great country; to look at its history; and they want to be part of this activity that's going on now. So they're looking for productive ways to be involved and this offers a wonderful opportunity I think.

ZAHN: I've talked with a number of pediatricians who are saying the number one complaint they're getting from parents about children is their kids are not sleeping well; the kids are restless. They feel vulnerable. What role do you think educators should be playing today in classrooms across America in helping children through this uncertainty?

PAIGE: It's very important that we talk to our young people. It's very important that we hear from them. They see the pictures on television. They hear the reports on the radio. They see the newspapers. They need an outlet. They need an opportunity to discuss their feelings and so we're talking to teachers and principals and people in schools all across our country to engage in these kinds of conversations with our young people so that they can be involved.

This is one of the -- this is why this activity is so important. So we can't treat them like they're bystanders in history. They are very important parts, and we've got to engage them.

ZAHN: Yes I understand that you have to do things at an age- appropriate level, but has the -- has the government arrived at any conclusions about what is exactly appropriate for educators to share with these children, because some parents are very protective of the kind of information they want their kids to get.

PAIGE: Well this is a function of the individual schools in the individual states. And what the federal government does is support what goes on in the various states. We are very decentralized system and states and schools and school districts will make decisions about the content of our forces and how students and teachers interact with each other.

And what we want to do is be partners and support them and to give them the resources and technical assistance and the benefit of our research.

ZAHN: As many of us go through this alongside our children, we're reminded of those drills that we all suffered through in the -- in the '60s, with bomb alerts and all that stuff.

PAIGE: Yes.

ZAHN: Do you -- do you envision a time where on a national level schools will have to do those kinds of drills again?

PAIGE: Well I think schools should make preparation for all various kinds of activities. We can't pretend anymore, you know, that these threats are not there. So preparation is a very important part. How they go about that is a function that -- of each -- of each individual school.

(CROSSTALK)

PAIGE: But schools should be prepared and they should prepare their young people as well.

ZAHN: Secretary Paige, final question for you. I know the president encouraged American children to send $1 or basically whatever they wanted send to the ... PAIGE: Yes.

ZAHN: ... children of Afghanistan. Will you be involved in that program at all?

PAIGE: Well yes. I'm going to support that as much as I can because also is another opportunity for them to be involved as part of an activity -- productive activity is what we need for our young people. We -- they've got to be engaged and they need leadership in that.

This is one opportunity for that and we applaud it.

ZAHN: So obviously your hope is that in classrooms across America teachers will be inspiring children to maybe perhaps even write to -- show pictures or write to children in Afghanistan and tell them that they understand their plight.

PAIGE: Absolutely and to talk about the pledge. The Pledge Allegiance to the flag and talk about what those important words mean and how each of us can be a participant in making those words real.

ZAHN: Well we will be covering your festivities later on this afternoon at 2:00 p.m. ...

PAIGE: Well thank you.

ZAHN: ... on the dot and it'll be interesting to see how many schools across the country end up participating.

Mr. Secretary, thank you for your time this morning.

PAIGE: Thank you.

ZAHN: Education Secretary Rod Paige.

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