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Jeb Bush: Our future as a nation is at stake

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    Former Florida governor addresses the Republican National Convention

  • Duration 15:30
  • Date

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This transcript is automatically generated

Thank.

You all very much.

Okay.

Yeah.

-- -- -- -- -- Okay.

Before I begin.

My remarks I have something personal I like to share with you.

I've been so blessed to be part of -- family that has committed its life to public service.

My granddad.

My grandfather and my father have been incredible role models for me and serve our country honorably.

And my brother well.

I love my brother.

He is a man of integrity courage and honor.

And during incredibly.

Challenging times.

He kept us safe.

-- Mr.

President.

The president it is -- time to stop blaming your predecessor for your failed economic policies.

It.

You were -- what's -- man.

You were dealt a tough fan but your policies have not worked.

In the fourth year of your presidency a real leader would accept responsibility for his actions and you haven't done it.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest let's talk a little bit about our kids an education.

This educate this election is about the future of this nation.

We can shape that future with what we do here.

With what we do on November 6.

We can restore America's greatness.

That starts with a strong economy.

A Smart energy policy.

Lower deficits.

And a president who put it puts America's workers and job creators first.

But to have a great future.

A secure future.

A future that is equal to our potential as a nation.

We need to do something else.

We must make sure that our children and grandchildren are ready for the world we are shaping today.

It starts.

It starts at our homes in our communities.

And especially in our schools.

As a candidate and governor I visited over 400 Florida schools.

I saw children read for their first sentences.

Solve their first long division problems.

Explore the miracles of chemistry and physics.

That's the essence of education.

Students getting a chance at a future.

There are many reasons to believe America's future is bright.

But also reasons to worry.

Of 34 advanced nations in the world.

American students ranked seventeenth in science.

When he fifth in math.

Only one quarter of high school graduates are ready for their next steps.

China and India -- eight times more engineering students each year than the United States.

This is a moral cost.

To our country are failing schools need to be fixed.

-- say that every child in America has an equal opportunity.

But tell that to a kid in whose classroom learning isn't respected.

Tell that to a -- stuck at a school where there is no leadership.

Tell that to a young talented teacher who just got laid off because she didn't have ten year.

The sad truth is that equality of opportunity doesn't exist in many of our schools.

We give some kids a chance but not all.

That failure is the great moral and economic issue of our time and it is hurting all of America.

I believe we can meet this challenge.

We need to set high standards for students and teachers and provide students and their parents the choices they deserve.

The first step is a simple one.

We must stop pre judging children based on their race ethnicity or household income.

We must stop excusing failure in our schools and start rewarding improvement and success.

We must have high academic standards that are benchmark to the best in the world.

You see all kids can learn.

Governor Romney believes it and the data proves it.

While he was governor Massachusetts -- standards and today -- students lead the nation and academic performance.

Here in Florida and 1999.

We were at the bottom of the nation in education.

For the last decade the state has been on a path of reform.

Under the leadership of governor Rick Scott and local leaders.

Our focus every day is whether students are learning that -- More students are reading on grade level.

Passing rigorous college prep courses and graduating from high school.

And perhaps most exciting.

Those traditionally left behind are showing the greatest gains.

Among African American students Florida's ranked fourth in the nation for academic improvement.

Among low income students.

Were ranked third -- gains.

Among students with disabilities.

-- -- -- first.

And among Latino students.

The games were so big.

They require a new metric.

Right now Florida's fourth grade Hispanic students read as well or better than.

The average of all students in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

Okay.

These kids these kids were once written off.

But today thanks to teachers like Sean Duffy we're changing that.

I'm honored.

To be an educator.

To help the next generation of leaders.

Thinkers builders and entrepreneurs.

Sadly I'm part of -- dwindling field.

I've seen too many good teachers coming ago mainly due to poor working conditions a little -- Bad teachers get locked into the system and good teachers leave for more money.

On top of the bureaucratic challenges.

What we're teaching doesn't always match what our students actually need.

To that and I helped launch a stem -- my high school.

These let's focus on science technology.

Engineering and mathematics.

And help students learn proficiency in these fields.

Returned -- students away from education each year by not providing a robust curriculum that helps keep.

That keeps up with the world in which these students live and will eventually work.

At the end of the day all of what we do from the educators.

To the policy makers pass to be student focused and student center.

After all students matter most.

And that's what counts thank you.

-- -- -- I know that -- -- high school is proud of your efforts and we need more great teachers like you.

Teachers who don't give up on a kid.

Who recognize that every child can learn and don't -- -- precious year of the student's life.

If you're a great teacher and your students are mastering their subjects no matter your age your years of experience you should have a job.

Education is hard work.

But if you follow some core principles.

And you challenge the status quo you can get great results.

So here's another thing we could do.

Let's give every parent in America a choice.

About where their child's but they'll attend school.

Everywhere.

Everywhere in our lives we get a chance to choose.

Go down any supermarket -- and you'll find an incredible selection of milk.

You can get a whole milk -- milk 2% milk low fat milk or skim milk.

Organic milk and milk with extra vitamin.

They even make milk for people who can't drink milk.

So my question to you is shouldn't parents have that kind of choice in schools.

Governor Romney gets it.

Mitt Romney gets -- he believes parents regardless of zip code or income should be able to send their child to the school.

That fits them best.

That is set him up against some entrenched interests.

There are many people who say they support strong schools.

But draw the line at school choice sorry kid giving you equal opportunity would be too risky.

And it would upset powerful political forces that we need to win elections.

I have a simple message for these masters of delay and deferral.

Choose you could either help the politically powerful unions are you can help the kids.

You know.

For those that have been involved in this you know it's hard to take on the unions.

They fund campaigns.

There well organized Election Day.

They'll show up.

Meanwhile the kids are old enough to vote.

But you and I know who deserves a choice.

Governor Romney knows it too.

Let me introduce you to fronts we'll see.

Because we gave him a choice.

He got a great election.

I grew up in the inner city of Miami.

In a place where your zip code determines your chances of its success.

-- -- wasn't unproductive in failing school.

I knew that could lead to an unproductive.

In failing future.

This -- governor Bush's school choice program.

I got the chance to choose a bit of school.

Make him my education my priority.

I wrote that one of the toughest high schools in Miami.

Archbishop -- Notre Dame.

-- I'm sure like a lot of us there was my mother.

Car led.

Who really put his -- choice in my education.

I'm blessed to -- -- the -- into my future has given me a chance to succeed.

I've graduated from Wagner college and I'm looking forward to a life of learning and serving my community.

But the -- to -- if I didn't have a choice in my education.

But I do know the numbers of -- you -- I probably wouldn't have a good sense.

Governor -- school choice program.

Didn't get chance to -- chief academic success.

In a sport that was destined for me.

-- -- -- -- Thank you.

It.

-- -- -- it is an incredible honor to see you grow up.

And France's story is and many others is the driving force across this nation to bring about necessary change.

And some of the biggest reformers are Republicans.

Governor Mitch Daniels and Indiana and Bobby Jindal and Louisiana have expanded school choice -- what we have here in Florida.

Governor Martinez a New Mexico is raising expectations.

Holding schools accountable for students gaining critical reading skills.

Governor -- page in Maine and deal in Georgia are transforming education by pushing schools.

To harness the power of technology and digital learning.

Idaho governor otter and superintendent -- or raising up the best teachers.

And separating out the an effective ones that earned him some enemies some of them slashed the superintendents tires.

But he didn't back down.

Governor Scott Walker in Wisconsin -- his state.

Am.

I.

-- -- his state to adopt reforms that promote early literacy.

And require the teacher -- valuations incorporate student achievement.

In Nevada governor -- of -- push for reforms to end the damaging practice a blast then burst out.

We're teachers are hired or fired based on their years in the system.

Not their impact in the class room.

Governor -- in Tennessee is making sure every classroom has an effective teacher.

Because he is a former governor Mitt Romney understands that states must leave this national movement.

In Massachusetts.

Governor Romney narrowed the gap between students of different races -- testing standards and put into place -- merit scholarship.

The John and Abigail Adams scholarship to give students for tuition three years.

At any Massachusetts public institution of higher learning.

We.

Is a champion for bringing hope to education.

And he intends to be a champion for equality of opportunity.

A president who always put students first.

So on this election remember this.

Our future as a nation is at stake.

Fact is this election is not just about one office it's about one nation.

We want to continue to be the greatest nation on the planet we must give our kids what we promise them an equal opportunity.

That starts in the classroom it starts and our communities it starts where you live.

And it starts with -- electing Mitt Romney the next president of the United States.

-- our excellent teachers and god bless the united.

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