Governor Martin O'Malley at Suitland Elementary School for Read Across Maryland Month

March 19, 2009

Host:  Welcome, Governor O'Malley, to our Suitland Elementary School's new studio.  We are happy to have you here to celebrate Read Across Maryland Month. 

May I ask you a question? 

Governor O'Malley:  Absolutely.  That's what I'm here for.

Host:  Why is reading so important? 

Governor O'Malley:  Why is reading so important?  Well, reading is the basis of all of the success that any student is going to have.  Throughout -- all of their time in school is based on a person's ability to read.  So that's why there's such a big concentration on reading and on parents to read to their children.  Because in order for a child to learn, I mean, everybody needs to be involved, not only does a student have to want to learn, but you also -- have teachers and great schools.  And your school looks terrific.  I don't think I've been in many elementary schools that have their own TV studio.

But also, we need parents to be involved and parents to read to their children.  So the higher our reading scores in those earlier grades, the more of our kids that are going to be successful throughout their whole lives.  Reading is really the basis for all learning.  

Host:  Is that why you're at our school today?

Governor O'Malley:  That's why I'm here today and that's why I've been visiting schools all month, because I wanted to talk about not only the good things that we're doing in our schools -- you know, we were named the number one public school system in the United States of America.  That is your Maryland schools, the number one school system in the whole country. 

But we want to make ourselves even better.  And in order to do that one of the things that we're doing in cooperation with all our teachers and with the Cat In the Hat -- right, Cat? -- 

(Cat nodding.)

Governor O'Malley:  -- is we're having Read Across Maryland Month, where for the whole month I'm visiting schools and we're doing some fun things to encourage people to read and encourage parents to read.

Host:  What kinds of good things are happening in our Maryland public schools?

Governor O'Malley:  A lot of good things.  Well, first of all, your hard work and virtually in every county in our State, we've seen over the last few years the test scores on reading and also on math going up, up, up.  Now, they're not up as high as we want them to be, but they're higher than they were a few years ago. 

And with committed principals, like Principal Walker, and with the sort of committed teachers that you have at Suitland Elementary and the amount of dollars that the State and our new President, Barack Obama, is putting into education, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to achieve higher and higher levels every single year. 

Because in our State and in our country, there's no such thing as a spare American, we need everybody. 

And so the things that our Maryland public schools are doing is not only increasing those achievement scores in our elementary schools, the recognition as the best public school system in America, but also college boards recognized our high school students as participating in greater numbers in AP courses.  You know what AP courses are?  They're sort of a higher standard, advanced placement, the sort of courses you would take in college. 

So we have more of our high school students taking part in AP courses and scoring at higher rates, even in our high schools than any other school system in the United States.

So those are some of the good things that we're doing.  And we're continuing to invest in making sure that we get you the best classrooms and also the best teachers and also good principals, so that you can do your good work. 

But we really need you.  Students are at the center of it all.

Host:  Is there anything else you want to say to the students out there? 

Governor O'Malley:  I want to say to the students out there that I'm really proud of you guys, I love you, I'm counting on you, I need you.  Everyone in our State needs you to work hard every day, become as smart as you possibly can, because your country and our country's future needs you as well. 

I mean, you look at the challenges that this whole planet is undergoing -- with climate change, with our ability to feed a growing population, to be able to combat things like AIDS and malaria and those other horrible diseases that take so many young people's lives in this world.  The ability to be able to combat those bad things and to make our world a better place, it's all in your hands, it's also where else?

Host:  In your mind?

Governor O'Malley:  It's in your mind.  And how well you are trained in school, how smart you are. 

So I need you, your country needs you and the whole world needs you. And I really appreciate you having me in your beautiful studio with Elmo and the Cat In the Hat and both of you.  Thanks for having me.