The Honorable Chaka Fattah's Speech before the

Democratic National Convention

Wednesday, July 28, 2004

BOSTON, July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a transcript of a speech by The Honorable Chaka Fattah at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, July 28, 2004:

Our future may lie beyond our vision, but it is not completely beyond our control. It is the shaping impulse of America that neither fate nor nature nor the irresistible tides of history, but the work of our own hands matched to reason and principle, that will determine our destinies.

Democrats have always toiled to make the potential that education holds for our children real in America.

Tonight, 1.5 million young people are benefiting through the national Gear Up program that I established and expanded with the active assistance of Senator John Kerry and Senator John Edwards. These young people are not future Democrats or Republicans, they are the future architects of our nation and the world.

On education, Democrats have a different approach: We believe that we shouldn't have resources without reform, but we can't have reform without resources. That if children are going to be tested, they should have qualified teachers. If they're expected to learn, they should have the right to expect a textbook. If they're expected to compete in a high tech world, they must have the same access to computers and the Internet.

Democrats have a common-sense approach to education reform: For once, let us provide in our lowest-achieving schools the resources we provide in our highest-achieving schools.

The election of John Kerry and John Edwards is inextricably intertwined to a future in which every child will have an equal opportunity to exceed. The presidency of John Kerry will allow tens of millions of young people, as Dr. King said, to be architects of their own lives.

Source: Democratic National Convention Committee

CONTACT:  Peggy Wilhide of the Democratic National Convention Committee,
+1-617-366-3100

Web site:  http://www.dems2004.org/