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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview With Rod Paige

Aired February 15, 2004 - 09:14   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.


(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDA BROWN THOMPSON: I had Spanish-American playmates. I had Native American playmates. I had white playmates. And we played together on a daily basis. But once school started, they went one way and I went another way. They questioned me as to why I couldn't go with them and I questioned them as to why I couldn't go with them. And it was just a puzzle to us as children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: More than 50 years after third-grader Linda Brown tried to enroll in an all-white school in Kansas, an educational milestone approaches. The Supreme Court decided the case of Brown v. the Board of Education in May of 1954, outlawing racial segregation in the nation's public schools. And here to talk about that historic event is Education Secretary Rod Paige, live from Washington. Thanks so much for being with us this morning, Mr. Paige. We appreciate your time.

You know, it has been half a century since the nation's schools were integrated. But some people would say that there still are racial disparities. Do you think that's true?

ROD PAIGE, SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: Well, first of all, we owe a great deal of gratitude to the heroic men and women who fought so gallantly to bring us the victory we now know as Brown versus the Board of Education. But the job is yet unfinished. It provided access to educational opportunities for young people, but the job still has to be done.

COLLINS: What do you see today, Secretary Paige, as the biggest problem, as far as race goes in our schools across this country?

PAIGE: I think the expectation that all children should learn is a big problem. Sometimes we just shuffle students through the system who might not look like we would like for them to look. But every child deserves a quality education. And we should expect every child to get an education, and we should assure that. So having high expectations for every child is I think our biggest problem.

COLLINS: How would you then ensure equal education also with regard to the law?

PAIGE: Well, first of all, I think the No Child Left Behind Act, which was a vision of our president, and the bipartisan work of our Congress, is the logical next step to Brown versus Board of Education. Brown assured access, but not if children are in the classroom. We've got to make sure that something counts inside the classroom, and that we provide an opportunity for every single child.

COLLINS: You know, a little bit earlier in this program we were talking about that very thing, and the issue of testing, standardized testing, exit tests, if you will, from high school came up. Is this the way to go, to make sure that these kids are prepared for life, for the workplace, and even for college?

PAIGE: I think a lot of the debate on testing is misplaced. Testing is a part of teaching. Testing provides information. It informs instruction. It gives teachers information they need to be precise in their instruction. It's just a part of the system. And it's only one small part of the system.

COLLINS: Now, I know that you saw all of this happen firsthand. You lived through segregation. Tell me through your eyes, and personal experience here, how significant this very Supreme Court decision was back in 1954?

PAIGE: Brown versus the Board of Education is a monumental decision. It altered the social, political and even economic structures of our nation. It also offered us an opportunity for fairness, and equity. The things that our Constitution assures us. But as yet are to be gained by all Americans. Brown versus the Board of Education was a great start. But the No Child Left Behind Act offers us an opportunity to finish that, to make sure that we can have school systems that leave no children behind in our nation.

COLLINS: So that being said, what is the future for public education?

PAIGE: The future is one of hard work and commitment and dedication to every child. We have a great nation. And we need a great school system, a system that assures that every single child in our nation has an opportunity. This is the vision of the president. And this is the bipartisan work of the Congress. And this is the United States of America. And we can accomplish this.

COLLINS: So if you could take a look at the next 50 years of the American public school system in that crystal ball that I know you have sitting in front of you, what would you see?

PAIGE: I see hard work all across our nation. I see commitment by Americans from all parts of our nation, who are working hard to make sure that every child gets a quality education. There are barriers to overcome. There are some sniping around the edges. There are some people who are resisting. But I see hard work and commitment. And I'm optimistic that we're going to accomplish this goal.

COLLINS: Education Secretary Rod Paige, thanks so much for your time this morning from Washington today. Appreciate it.

PAIGE: Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired February 15, 2004 - 09:14   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
LINDA BROWN THOMPSON: I had Spanish-American playmates. I had Native American playmates. I had white playmates. And we played together on a daily basis. But once school started, they went one way and I went another way. They questioned me as to why I couldn't go with them and I questioned them as to why I couldn't go with them. And it was just a puzzle to us as children.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: More than 50 years after third-grader Linda Brown tried to enroll in an all-white school in Kansas, an educational milestone approaches. The Supreme Court decided the case of Brown v. the Board of Education in May of 1954, outlawing racial segregation in the nation's public schools. And here to talk about that historic event is Education Secretary Rod Paige, live from Washington. Thanks so much for being with us this morning, Mr. Paige. We appreciate your time.

You know, it has been half a century since the nation's schools were integrated. But some people would say that there still are racial disparities. Do you think that's true?

ROD PAIGE, SECRETARY OF EDUCATION: Well, first of all, we owe a great deal of gratitude to the heroic men and women who fought so gallantly to bring us the victory we now know as Brown versus the Board of Education. But the job is yet unfinished. It provided access to educational opportunities for young people, but the job still has to be done.

COLLINS: What do you see today, Secretary Paige, as the biggest problem, as far as race goes in our schools across this country?

PAIGE: I think the expectation that all children should learn is a big problem. Sometimes we just shuffle students through the system who might not look like we would like for them to look. But every child deserves a quality education. And we should expect every child to get an education, and we should assure that. So having high expectations for every child is I think our biggest problem.

COLLINS: How would you then ensure equal education also with regard to the law?

PAIGE: Well, first of all, I think the No Child Left Behind Act, which was a vision of our president, and the bipartisan work of our Congress, is the logical next step to Brown versus Board of Education. Brown assured access, but not if children are in the classroom. We've got to make sure that something counts inside the classroom, and that we provide an opportunity for every single child.

COLLINS: You know, a little bit earlier in this program we were talking about that very thing, and the issue of testing, standardized testing, exit tests, if you will, from high school came up. Is this the way to go, to make sure that these kids are prepared for life, for the workplace, and even for college?

PAIGE: I think a lot of the debate on testing is misplaced. Testing is a part of teaching. Testing provides information. It informs instruction. It gives teachers information they need to be precise in their instruction. It's just a part of the system. And it's only one small part of the system.

COLLINS: Now, I know that you saw all of this happen firsthand. You lived through segregation. Tell me through your eyes, and personal experience here, how significant this very Supreme Court decision was back in 1954?

PAIGE: Brown versus the Board of Education is a monumental decision. It altered the social, political and even economic structures of our nation. It also offered us an opportunity for fairness, and equity. The things that our Constitution assures us. But as yet are to be gained by all Americans. Brown versus the Board of Education was a great start. But the No Child Left Behind Act offers us an opportunity to finish that, to make sure that we can have school systems that leave no children behind in our nation.

COLLINS: So that being said, what is the future for public education?

PAIGE: The future is one of hard work and commitment and dedication to every child. We have a great nation. And we need a great school system, a system that assures that every single child in our nation has an opportunity. This is the vision of the president. And this is the bipartisan work of the Congress. And this is the United States of America. And we can accomplish this.

COLLINS: So if you could take a look at the next 50 years of the American public school system in that crystal ball that I know you have sitting in front of you, what would you see?

PAIGE: I see hard work all across our nation. I see commitment by Americans from all parts of our nation, who are working hard to make sure that every child gets a quality education. There are barriers to overcome. There are some sniping around the edges. There are some people who are resisting. But I see hard work and commitment. And I'm optimistic that we're going to accomplish this goal.

COLLINS: Education Secretary Rod Paige, thanks so much for your time this morning from Washington today. Appreciate it.

PAIGE: Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com