Barack Obama

hello __PUNCT__ everybodi __PUNCT__

i sorri i can't join you all in person todai __PUNCT__ but thank you for let me sai a few word __PUNCT__

first and foremost __PUNCT__ i am honor to have your endors __PUNCT__ and i appreci the commit you make to help us win in __DATE__ __PUNCT__

i want to thank your presid __PUNCT__ ed mcelroi __PUNCT__ your secretari __PUNCT__ treasur __PUNCT__ nat lacour __PUNCT__ and your execut vice_presid __PUNCT__ toni cortes __PUNCT__

ed and nat __PUNCT__ congratul on your retir __PUNCT__

we ar all grate for your steadi leadership and tireless effort to guarante our student their fundament right to a qualiti_educ __PUNCT__

and i look forward to work with your new offic __PUNCT__

and i want to sai hello to my friend from illinoi __PUNCT__ ed geppert __PUNCT__ the presid of the illinoi feder of teacher __PUNCT__ marilyn stewart __PUNCT__ the presid of the chicago teacher_union __PUNCT__ and aft vice_presid jim dougherti __PUNCT__ and all my alli with whom i work so close __PUNCT__

over the cours of thi campaign __PUNCT__ i had the opportun to visit school and talk to teacher and student __PUNCT__ paraprofession and support staff __PUNCT__ colleg faculti and employe __PUNCT__ public_employe __PUNCT__ nurs and health_care care_worker all across thi countri __PUNCT__

but so much of what inform my visit come from an experi i had a few year_ago at dodg elementari_school in chicago __PUNCT__ not far from where you assembl todai __PUNCT__

i ask a young teacher there what she saw as the biggest challeng_face her student __PUNCT__

she gave me an answer i had never heard befor __PUNCT__

she talk about what she call __PUNCT__ these kid syndrom __PUNCT__ the tendenc to explain awai the shortcom and failur of our educ_system by sai __PUNCT__ these kid can't learn __PUNCT__ or __PUNCT__ these kid don't want to learn __PUNCT__ or __PUNCT__ these kid ar just too far behind __PUNCT__

and after a while __PUNCT__ these kid __PUNCT__ becom somebodi els problem __PUNCT__

and she look at me and said __PUNCT__ when i hear that term __PUNCT__ it drive me crazi __PUNCT__

thei not __PUNCT__ these kid __PUNCT__

thei our kid __PUNCT__

all of them __PUNCT__

she absolut right __PUNCT__

these children ar our children __PUNCT__

their futur is our futur __PUNCT__

and it time we understood that their educ is our respons __PUNCT__

i am run for presid to guarante that all of our children have the best possibl chanc in life __PUNCT__

and i am tire of hear you blame for our problem __PUNCT__

i want to lead a new era of mutual respons in educ __PUNCT__ where we all come togeth __PUNCT__ parent and educ __PUNCT__ the aft and leader in washington __PUNCT__ citizen all across america __PUNCT__ unit for the sake of our children success __PUNCT__

bring about that futur begin with fix the broken_promis of no child_left behind __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i believ that the goal of thi law __PUNCT__ educ everi child with an excel teacher __PUNCT__ close the achiev_gap __PUNCT__ ensur more account and higher_standard __PUNCT__ were right __PUNCT__

but promis all thi while leav the resourc behind is wrong __PUNCT__

label a school and it student as failur on dai and then abandon them the next is wrong __PUNCT__

we must fix the failur of no child_left behind by provid the fund that wa promis __PUNCT__ give state the resourc thei need __PUNCT__ and final meet our commit to special_educ __PUNCT__

but that alon is not an educ_polici __PUNCT__

it just a start_point __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ john_mccain is an honor man and i respect hi servic to our countri __PUNCT__ but he won't even get us to that start_point __PUNCT__

for someon who been in washington nearli __NUM___year __PUNCT__ he got a pretti slim record on educ __PUNCT__ and when he ha taken a stand __PUNCT__ it been the wrong on __PUNCT__

he vote against increas fund for no child_left behind to preserv billion in tax_break for the wealthiest american __PUNCT__ tax break he want to extend without sai how he pai for them __PUNCT__

he vote against increas fund for head_start __PUNCT__ and pell_grant __PUNCT__ and the hire of __NUM__ new teacher again and again and again __PUNCT__

in fact __PUNCT__ hi onli propos seem to be recycl tire rhetor about voucher and school_choic __PUNCT__

now __PUNCT__ i been a propon of public_school school_choic throughout my career __PUNCT__

i applaud aft for your leadership in repres charter_school school_teacher and support staff all across thi countri __PUNCT__ and for even oper your own charter in new york __PUNCT__

becaus we know well __PUNCT__ design public charter_school have a lot to offer __PUNCT__ and i actual help pass_legisl to expand them __PUNCT__

but what i do oppos is us public_monei for privat_school voucher __PUNCT__

we need to focu on fix and improv our public_school __PUNCT__ not throw our hand up and walk awai from them __PUNCT__

real chang is final give our kid everyth thei need to have a fight chanc in todai_world __PUNCT__

that begin with recogn that the singl most import_factor in determin a child achiev is not the color of their skin or where thei come from __PUNCT__ it not who their parent ar or how much monei thei have __PUNCT__

it who their teacher is __PUNCT__

it the paraprofession and support staff and all of you in thi room __PUNCT__

it those who spend their own monei on book and suppli __PUNCT__ come earli and stai late compar lesson_plan __PUNCT__ who devot their live to our next gener and serv as role_model for the children who need on most becaus you believ that what make the extra differ __PUNCT__

and it doe __PUNCT__

after all __PUNCT__ i have two daughter __PUNCT__

i know what their teacher mean to them __PUNCT__

so it time to start treat our teacher properli __PUNCT__

that mean resid program that suppli except recruit to high __PUNCT__ need school __PUNCT__

that mean mentor program that pair experienc __PUNCT__ success teacher with new on __PUNCT__

that mean servic scholarship that sai if you commit your life to teach __PUNCT__ america will commit to pai for your colleg_educ __PUNCT__

and when our educ succe __PUNCT__ i won't just talk about how great thei ar __PUNCT__ i will reward them for it __PUNCT__

under my plan __PUNCT__ district will be abl to give teacher who mentor __PUNCT__ or teach in underserv area __PUNCT__ or take on ad respons __PUNCT__ or learn new skill to serv student better __PUNCT__ or consist excel in the classroom __PUNCT__ the salari increas thei deserv __PUNCT__

and whether it the plan aft help creat in cincinnati or chicago __PUNCT__ you shown that it is possibl to find new wai to increas teacher pai that ar develop with teacher __PUNCT__ not impos on them __PUNCT__

and togeth __PUNCT__ we will begin chang the odd for our at __PUNCT__ risk children by provid qualiti __PUNCT__ afford earli_childhood childhood_educ for all our children __PUNCT__

to address the achiev_gap __PUNCT__ we expand afterschool and summer learn opportun __PUNCT__

to address the dropout crisi that condemn so mani futur __PUNCT__ we interven much earlier in a child educ __PUNCT__ becaus the forc that lead a high_school school_student to drop out start well befor the ninth grade __PUNCT__

but there is no program and no polici that can substitut for a parent who is involv in their child educ from dai on __PUNCT__ who make sure that child is in school on time __PUNCT__ help them with their homework __PUNCT__ and attend those parent __PUNCT__ teacher confer __PUNCT__ who is will to turn off the tv onc in awhil __PUNCT__ put awai the video_game __PUNCT__ and read to their child __PUNCT__

respons for our children_educ start at home __PUNCT__

we have to set high_standard for them __PUNCT__ and spend_time with them __PUNCT__ and love them __PUNCT__

we have to hold ourselv account __PUNCT__

thi is the commit we must make to our kid __PUNCT__

thi is the chanc thei must have __PUNCT__

we all know there ar too mani young_men and women in america right now who ar slip awai from us as we speak __PUNCT__ student who lost all hope that thei can make someth of their live __PUNCT__

you know these kid __PUNCT__

and i know these kid __PUNCT__

i began my career over two decad_ago in commun on chicago south_side __PUNCT__

and i work with parent and teacher and local leader to fight for their futur __PUNCT__

we set up after school program and protest outsid govern offic so that we could get those who had drop out into altern school __PUNCT__

and in time __PUNCT__ we chang the odd for our children __PUNCT__

but while i know hopeless __PUNCT__ i also know hope __PUNCT__

in mai __PUNCT__ i visit a high_school in colorado where just three year_ago __PUNCT__ onli half of the senior were accept to colleg __PUNCT__

but thank to the hard_work of care parent __PUNCT__ innov educ __PUNCT__ and some veri commit student __PUNCT__ all forti __PUNCT__ four senior of thi year class were accept to more than seventi colleg and univers across the countri __PUNCT__

and the exampl thei set trickl down __PUNCT__

while there __PUNCT__ i met an eighth grader name theo rodriguez __PUNCT__ who now set hi sight a littl higher __PUNCT__ he want to go to oxford and studi criminolog __PUNCT__

that what hope is __PUNCT__

that the promis of educ in america __PUNCT__ that no matter what we look like or where we come from or who our parent ar __PUNCT__ each of us should have the opportun to fulfil our god __PUNCT__ given potenti __PUNCT__

each of us should have the chanc to achiev the american_dream __PUNCT__

that why i run for presid __PUNCT__ aft __PUNCT__

to make sure all our kid have that chanc __PUNCT__

but i need your help to get there __PUNCT__

from your earliest_dai in chicago __PUNCT__ you stood up for chang __PUNCT__ when minor weren't allow full union_membership __PUNCT__ when parent fought to integr our school __PUNCT__ when it wa time to take the march for civil right to washington __PUNCT__ you stood up __PUNCT__

and if you stand up with me these next four month __PUNCT__ if you march with me and knock on door and make phone_call and regist_voter __PUNCT__ and talk to your friend and co __PUNCT__ worker and neighbor __PUNCT__ then i promis you thi __PUNCT__ we will win thi elect __PUNCT__ we will chang educ in thi countri __PUNCT__ and we will bring about a better futur for our children and for thi countri we love __PUNCT__

thank you __PUNCT__