Bill Clinton photo

Exchange With Reporters at Forest Knolls Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland

October 13, 1998

Classroom Space

Q. Mr. President, Ashley Lewis was telling us before you came in that she actually likes this classroom, that it's one of the biggest in the school——

The President. It is big.

Q. Why should—can you explain to her, maybe, why you feel the need to spend $1.1 billion to build new classrooms when the student population may not always be this size?

The President. Well, maybe I should let Secretary Riley answer that one, because it's going to be this size and bigger for a long time.

[At this point, Secretary of Education Richard Riley made brief remarks explaining the need to replace temporary classrooms that were unsuitable for various reasons.]

The President. Accessibility.

Secretary Riley. Heat, cool, it's different kinds of problems in all the different temporary facilities. Some are better than others, as the Governor pointed out, but they're temporary, and it's not a permanent solution.

The President. Even if it is bigger. [Laughter]

NOTE: The President spoke at 1:05 p.m. in a portable trailer classroom. A reporter referred to sixth grade student Ashley Lewis, and Secretary Riley referred to Gov. Parris N. Glendening of Maryland. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this exchange.

William J. Clinton, Exchange With Reporters at Forest Knolls Elementary School in Silver Spring, Maryland Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/224988

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