Sample Proclamations

A Proclamation by the President of the United States
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
City and County of San Francisco

A Proclamation by the President of the United States,
September 8, 1997

Americans want the best for our children. We want to live out their dreams, empowered with the tools they need to make the most of their lives and to build a future where America remains the world's beacon of hope and freedom and opportunity. To do this, we must all make improving the quality of education in America one of our highest priorities.

In my State of the Union Address earlier this year, I issued a call to action for American education to prepare our Nation for the 21st century. Working together, we must make our school strong and safe, with clear standards of achievement and discipline and talented, dedicated teachers in every classroom. Every school and every State should adopt rigorous national standards, with national tests in 4th-grade reading and 8th-grade math to make sure our children master the basics. We must ensure that every student can read independently and well by the end of the 3rd grade. We must connect every classroom ad library to the Internet by the year 2000 and help all students become technologically literate. We must modernize school buildings and expand school choice and accountability in public education. And we must encourage lifelong learning for all our citizens, from expanding Head Start programs to helping adults their education and skills.

These goals are ambitious, but they are crucial if we are to prepare for the challenges and possibilities of life in the 21st century. With the 1997 balanced budget agreement, we will begin to meet these goals by providing new resources to help children learn to read, the means to help connect every school to the Internet, and tens of billions of dollars in tax cuts to help families pay for college.

I urge all Americans to become involved in their local schools and colleges and to make a real commitment to support education improvement and give our children the kind of support they need to succeed. The Partnership for Family Involvement in Education is setting a powerful example in this endeavor. These partners--including the Department of Education and more than 3,000 schools, families, colleges and universities, community, cultural, and religious groups, businesses, elected officials and policymakers, and the men and women of our Armed Forces-have pledged their support for our initiative, "America Goes Back to School: Answering the President's Call to Action." Through their dedication to our children, they are helping America's young people grow into responsible and productive citizens. They are proving that when communities unite, every students can achieve.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 8 through September 14, 1997, as a time when America Goes Back to School. I encourage parents, schools, community and State leaders, businesses, civic and religious organizations, and the people of the United States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies and meaningful involvement in schools and colleges and the students and families they serve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of September, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-second.

WILLIAM J. CLINTON

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

by His Excellency GOVERNOR WILLIAM F. WELD, 1996

WHEREAS, family and community involvement in the education of young people enhances their ability to learn and develop; and

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education and the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education are sponsoring America Goes back to School, a nationwide campaign to encourage family and community involvement in learning; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate that all Massachusetts citizens support local schools and encourage young people in their academic endeavors;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM F. WELD, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, do hereby proclaim the week of September 8th through 14th, 1996, to be AMERICA GOES BACK TO SCHOOL: GET INVOLVED! WEEK and urge all citizens of the Commonwealth to take cognizance of this event and participate fittingly in its observance.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston, the thirtieth day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and Ninety-six, and of the Independence of the United States of America, the two hundred and twenty-first.

By His Excellency the Governor
WILLIAM F. WELD

City and County of San Francisco

WHEREAS, the City and County of San Francisco is proud to join with the Partnership for Family Involvement in Education and the U.S. Department of Education in the nationwide back-to-school activity, America Goes Back to School; and

WHEREAS, currently entering its third year, the America Goes Back to School initiative encourages families, schools, colleges, state and local officials, civic, cultural and religious groups, and employers to come together and improve the quality of schools; and

WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Education has developed certain priorities to be the focus of the 1997 back-to-school efforts including insuring the ability of students in reading independently and well by third grade, helping students master challenging mathematics, including foundation of the algebra and geometry by the end of the eighth grade; and

WHEREAS, some of the goals of America Goes Back to School also include preparing students financially and academically for college, connecting every classroom to the Internet by the year 2000, and to ensure that every school is strong, safe, drug free, and disciplined; now

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Willie L. Brown Jr., mayor of the City and County of San Francisco, recognize and appreciate the invaluable contributions and vital services of the America Goes Back to School initiative and wish success in its 1997 endeavors nationwide and do hereby declare the month of September as...

*AMERICA GOES BACK TO SCHOOL* MONTH in San Francisco

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the City and County of San Francisco to be affixed.

Willie Lewis Brown Jr.
Mayor