that belong to one of the people who testified before the kefauver committee when it came here. he had driven liquor trucks in the prohibition era and was involved in casinos out here. and then everything from one of the uniform jackets from the desert in, which organized crime interests from cleveland operated, to a placemat from the moulin rouge, which was really the first integrated hotel casino in las vegas. las vegas was a segregated community, and if you were african-american, you could not stay in or patronize a strip or downtown hotel casino. entertainers usually had to stay in west las vegas and the moulin rouge, which itself had mob connections, was an attempt in 1955 to integrate the industry and community. someasino has set standards that contributed to the civil rights movement that would lead to changes in las

vegas and around the country. below that are photos in magazines featuring frank lefty rosenthal. if you see the movie "casino," robert de niro is playing a character supposedly based on him. he ran a couple of other casinos on the strip and could never get a gaming license because of his background. the corner here is mostly about the foley bergere, the production show at the tropicana hotel for nearly 1/2 century. this is one of the outfits that one of the showgirls would have worn. the headdresses can weigh up to 30 pounds. pictured was the kansas city's mob guy. so, here in this case, a lot of our history is covered. what we have over here is an addition of the list of excluded

persons, which became known as the black book. it always has been in a black book. originally it was a three ring binder. in 1960, the state gaming created it because they wanted to get a list of people they saw as just too bad to be in casinos. the original list was 12, all italian mobsters, which led the charges with some justification that there might have been a little bit of discrimination here. one of the 12 was still alive as of 2015. the guy in the mugshots next to the book was anthony, who came from chicago, was accused of murders, and he was the mob's enforcer on the streets of las vegas in the 1970's and 1980's. in the movie joe pesci plays a character based on him.

if you seen the movie, he meets a violent and. that is how anthony died. he also had a burglary ring out on the streets that became known as the hole in the wall gang because they literally blew a hole in the wall of a building they were breaking into. and right above it, an example of the kinds of donations we get at the museum, an fbi agent named mark casper arrested him in 1983 in las vegas. these are the handcuffs. in case anybody got a little too interested, the key is there too just in case. this isn't the greatest exhibit in the museum, but it's part of thing but kind of talks about what a museum does today. senate a photo of the minority leader when he was chairman of the nevada gaming commission.

we have on our website and interview where he talked about his days with the gaming commission. it was quite a period for him, he had been through a couple of electoral defeats. expect was that this was when the fbi was really going after organized crime families in the midwest and the teamsters union. it is when state officials are cracking down, so he ends up ordering the closure of some casinos, having to deal with a lot of public controversy, including the guy pictured right above him. they had this confrontation over rosenthal's license that is depicted in the movie "casino." because of how they set up th e whole thing. read ended up one day having to call the police because something was attached to his

car that turned out to be something that would blow up the car. he has dealt with a few things in his past that might be a bit carrougher than moving on the senate floor. once we get through the second floor of the 1950's, 1960's, 1970's, what went on in las vegas, we come to how the mob is brought down in what long essman is doing and ways in which organized crime spreads beyond where we think it might be. governmenthe federal and ellen knowlton, the fbi agent in charge here, we were able to get access to wiretaps. what makes these wiretaps possible, what changed was in the rapidress passed influenced and corrupt organizations act. it enables them to go after the mob and less traditional ways.

if you think of al capone, the guy who got al capone was not jay. edgar hoover. evasion.him on tax now what they are going to be able to do is bug, wire tap, use evidence against rising might have been the bosses but you might not necessarily have been the ones to tell someone to hit somebody. this wall has a couple of different wiretaps people can listen to. over here is a conversation between alan dorfman and joe lombardo. joe lombardo was connected to the teamsters. so was dorfman. dorfman was in charge of the teamsters union central states pension fund. he had mob connections through his family, which had been close

to al capone. here they are talking about loans the teamsters made great where the teamsters were very few was with exceptions, banks would not lend money to casino operators. the theory, they are being gangsters. are they going to pay it back? should a bank investment they casino? there were bankers in las vegas who realized the benefit to the community and to the bank of lending money. but the teamsters did this and in turn were able to get skimming operations going. it was dorfman who called the operators of the circus circus to help out a friend of his, who ends up coming to las vegas to oversee the skim. the teamsters lend the money to alan glick, who becomes the front man running the couple of other hotel casinos in las vegas. this is also important,

the teamsters and the midwestern families had pretty well replaced new york and miami operators who were tied to meyer lansky. when the federal government through the rico act, when state officials bring down organized crime, it's really these people who they get. the organized crime passed force , there was a strike force in the justice department, they end up prosecuting the midwestern crime family leaders and dorfman . dorfman is eventually gunned down because there's a fear he might testify and he knew too much. alan dorfman was literally the men who knew too much. , there set of wiretaps is a threat to an attorney for

various teamsters leaders. beheading on it, how he could live to his next -- the heading on it, how he could live to his next birthday. thead a loan to operate dunes. representatives of the teamsters were reminding him, he needed to pay. we all think of organized crime as violence, and we should. a lot of the people depicted in this museum who were in las vegas were in the business end. they are skimming money or just operating casinos where the profits go to some organized crime people, some who are not connected, and the casinos here are going to fund all kinds of things going on nationally and internationally from the drug trade to various violent crimes or burglary rings. when somebody leaves this museum, i hope they realize that history itself can be fascinating. not everybody thinks that, unfortunately.

and at the history of organized crime and law enforcement, it's intertwined, there are bad guys on both sides. the good guys are on the law enforcement side. organized crime provided a lot of economic and if it to places like las people who come here thinking this is a tribute to the mob are going to have their perceptions changed. that is what i hope they leave with. on c-span, we take you live to the national press club in washington where reporters and other guests will be hearing from education secretary john king. he will be talking about civic engagement, citizenship, and education. he will be introduced by jeff allew of al jazeera. live coverage here on c-span. [gavel] >> good afternoon and welcome to

the national press club. with al jazeera english here in washington, d.c. and the 109th president of the national press club. our guest today is dr. john king, junior, the 10th u.s. secretary of education. i would welcome our public radio and c-span audiences. i want to remind you that you can follow the action on twitter, using the #npclive. this will be a great time for you to turn off or at least silence your cell phones to disrupt our program. if you have any questions for our speaker, you can write them on the cards that are at your table, pass them up to the head table, and we will get through as many of them as time permits. you can tweak them to the #npcl ive. now it is time to introduce our head table guest.

on your right, looking at us, and on my far left, the vice president of strategic communications at the data quality campaign and vice president of the education writers association. america today"a and white house correspondent. emily wilkins, education and labor reporter at cq roll call. amy macintosh, assistant secretary at the u.s. department of education. arol feldman, director of these operations of finance at the associated press and also education editor at the associated press. the 2016 national teacher of the year. [applause] a reporter from bloomberg news and chair of the national press

club speakers committee. lisa matthews, vice president of hager sharp and national press club committee organizer. chief of staff to the secretary of education. the senior staff writer for diverse issues in higher education's. candace smith, executive director of media relations at the george washington university. president of the creative alliance communications and was involved in the 1979 transition or the new department of education, established in 1980. [applause] it was just seven months ago that our guest was confirmed as secretary of education. dr. john b king, junior has been involved in public education all his life. king, a former social studies

teacher from new york, is known for crediting the public school system with his very life. king had a difficult childhood. by the age of 12, both of his parents were public school teachers and died. it was a rough-and-tumble time. after that, school is a sanctuary. years later, dr. king would go on to leave new york state education department from 2011 to 2014 before joining the department of education. despite his emphasis on making sure all students are receiving the same level of education, regardless of race or zip code, king's tactics have been criticized on all sides -- and school districts, at pta meetings, congress. beene same time, he has praised for understanding the importance of a diverse, rich, well-rounded education. dr. king supported the implementation of the every student succeeds act, which replaced no child left behind.

he has urged states to use the new federal election -- excuse me, educational. law. that is what i get for covering election so long. it's to expand on social science, arts, and world languages. i like that last one. dr. king has also push for higher standards as a stepping stone to ensure all students are ready for what is next. today he returns to his roots as a social studies teacher to speak with us here at the national press club about the role of schools in prepping students to be active students . please welcome to the national press club podium dr. john b. king junior, secretary of education. [applause] good afternoon. thank you so much for the introduction and thank you to

the press club for inviting me here to speak with you today about a topic of which i am passionate both as a former social studies teacher and as an american -- the importance of civic education as part of a well-rounded education. i spoken about well-rounded education many times before. teacherspeak about my in fourth, fifth, and six grade in brooklyn. he made a huge difference in my life after my mom passed away. he made school that was a place that was engaging, compelling, and nurturing. we read and discussed the new york times every day in his class. we performed shakespeare. we went to the met and the museum of national history and other institutions. reverend we went and whatever we were doing, he would listen and respond to our questions and observations he made each of us feel valued and unique last

. last december, president obama signed the every student succeeds act. as it creates an opportunity for states and schools to reclaim the promise of a high-quality rwanda education with the one i had -- well-rounded education with him one i had thanks to great your city public school teachers, and education that prepares every student regardless of their background to succeed in college and careers. the department of education will release nonregulatory guidance on one part of essa, designed to help school and communities with access to a well-rounded education, to create a safe and supportive school environment, and to improve the use of technology. we owe it to every child in the country to provide them with access to music and the arts, world linkages, physics, chemistry, biology, physical education, health, coding and

computer science, and social studies, geography, government, and civics. these are not luxuries. they are essential for preparing our students to thrive in the world they will experience beyond high school. today, i want to focus on the importance of civic education and what that might look like in schools and colleges. when we think about the responsibilities of citizens, we often think primarily about voting. voting is unquestionably the cornerstone of freedom. the right to vote undergirds our other rights. to not vote is to turn your back on your neighbors and your community and your country. throughout our history, people have fought and even died to be treated as full citizens and to be able to cast a ballot. years after the ratification of the constitution before women were allowed to vote thanks to the 19th amendment. it was not until 1965 and the

passage of the voting rights act that african-americans were truly, finally guaranteed the right to vote despite the 15th amendment having been added to the constitution nearly 100 years earlier. 1965.not ancient history, congressman john lewis was among many who were beaten and suffered as part of that struggle. some older african-american voters today can still remember having to take literacy tests before being allowed to register and vote. we need to continue to be ever vigilant to make sure that this right is not taken away. however, as i would tell my students when i was teaching, voting, as important as it is, is only one responsibility of citizenship. the strength of our democracy depends on all of us as americans understanding our history and constitution and how the government works at every level.

becoming informed and thoughtful about local, state, and national issues, getting involved in solving problems in our schools, communities, states, and national, recognizing that solutions to the complex issues our nation faces today all beingre compromise, willing to think beyond our own needs and wants, and to raise our obligations the greater good. finally i would argue our democracy, our community, and our nation would be stronger if all of us volunteered on behalf of others. none of this will occur automatically. as americans we celebrate our individualism and our differences, but to remain a functioning society and democracy, we also have to recognize that we are dependent on society and society depends on us. all of us, parents, elected officials, educators, journalists, and everyone else, must set a good example for our children and for newcomers to this country and work to make

words "a moren's perfect union." our schools and our colleges have a special responsibility to prepare our students to do so. educating our students about the role and democracy is one of the original goals of public education in this country and it should remain so today as our nation becomes more and more diverse. right now it is clear that our schools and colleges must do more to meet that goal. the nation's report card shows that only one in 5/8 graders and 12th graders have a working knowledge of the constitution, the presidency, congress, the courts, and how laws are made. not surprisingly we are failing even more of our children of our color and low income families. only about one in 10 african american, hispanic, and low income students have a working knowledge of how government functions. only a third of americans even

know that joe biden is vice president or can name a single supreme court justice. those of us who work in washington may think, how could this be? but it is the reality. today all 50 states and the district of columbia make some civic instruction a graduation requirement. over the past couple of years, 14 states have also begun requiring students to pass a version of the status and should exam -- the citizenship exam to get a diploma. it is a good start, but it is civics light. knowing the first three words of the preamble and knowing one branch of government is worthwhile, but it's not enough to equip people to carry out the duties of citizenship. everyone above a certain age who watched saturday morning cartoons remembers how a bill becomes a law from "schoolhouse rock." that doesn't help them evaluate different positions on issues

such as immigration or climate change or taxation. today i ask our nation's schools and colleges to be bold and creative in educating for citizenship. make preparing your students for their civic duties just as much a priority as preparing them to succeed in college and their careers. i ask educators to work from the broader definition of civic duty than i've described. i asked teachers and principals and superintendents to help your students learn to be problem solvers who can grapple with challenging issues, such as how to improve their schools, home life, air and water pollution, or the tensions between police and communities of color. it is also critical that these conversations not be partisan. civic engagement is not a democratic or republican party issued. . they should and can be rooted in different philosophies of government. we should make sure classrooms welcome and celebrate these different perspectives.

i reckon as this could lead to uncomfortable conversations and that teachers will need support and training to foster these conversations in productive ways. principals will need to be courageous and back their teachers up. superintendents and school boards will need to make sure the communities understand what they are trying to a couple. i know from personal experience that these issues are not always easy to talk about. i two daughters s-1 in elementary school and one in middle school -- i have two daughters, one in elementary school and one in middle school. over the past year, we have had to talk to them about the vast majority of police officers who are dedicated public servants who are doing their best to keep the public safe, and at the same time, the reality that we have got to talk as a country about systemic issues of racism, prejudice, and bias, and how they affect the relationship between police and communities. i also made the same point when i was in st. paul, minnesota

earlier this year, meeting with and staff members at the school where philando castile worked. philando castile was a man who worked at a school in st. paul, a cafeteria supervisor. he was beloved by the faculty and kids and parents at the school. he was killed in an interaction with police officers in falcon heights, minnesota. i went to mourn with the families and talk with the families. i talked with the reality that philando castile was stopped more than 40 times by police before the incident where he was killed. andged the parents educators i met with not to sink into despair, but to instead work with others in the community to make sure that an event like that would never happen again. on the sameto act belief that i want my daughters to understand that these issues can be resolved, but that it will take concerned efforts of all o levels of government --

national, state, and local. issues,, the biggest including tensions between police and committees of color, they are not going to be settled solely by a decision by the president or congress or even a bill passed in a state legislature. the department of justice can monitor policing, can identify violations of civil rights, and can order changes in practices and policies to prevent these violations. that is a start, but what is also needed are citizens who will work with others and vote strategically to demand changes in police training to include bias, cultural competencies, and ways to defuse intense situations in their place interactions. an end to racial profiling. and end to discriminate oratory practices -- to discriminatory practices that have an impact on poor people. in impact on the local level for

creating better jobs and improving mass transit and so many other issues. this will not happen unless people have the knowledge, skills, and inclination to get involved that can be learned in school. i know that their schools around the country doing a good job of that and they are non-profit groups, such as the one started by former spring court justice sandra day o'connor, they're working to get more schools involved in civic education. i want to applaud those efforts. one organization helping to make this happen is the james madison memorial fellowship foundation, established by congress in 1986. when i was a teacher, i was fortunate to be a madison fellow, which allowed me to take classes on the effective teaching of the history of the constitution and to participate in a community of talented and passionate secondary social studies educators. generations of medicine fellows selected from all 50 states are in classrooms throughout the country.

and haveensuring best a good understanding of the foundations of american democracy. one person doing that kind of work extraordinarily well is joanna hayes, who is a high school s social studies -- inr and can dedicate connecticut in addition to being the 20 16th teacher of the year. she's passionate about teaching at her high school and the importance of committee service and the obligation to improve the human condition. she is an advisor to the schools helping people out everywhere club. annualticipates and the walk for autism and rally for life and has raised thousands of dollars for cancer research. she points out that student's want to help, but they need role models to show them how. we need more teachers like joanna and more schools and districts to support them. what are the elements of a robust and relevant civic education? first, students need knowledge.

they need to know the constitution and the legislative process. they also need to understand history. our sins ought to be familiar with the primary sources that have shaped our nations history, the declaration of independence, and the constitution. sojourner truth ain't i a woman speech and dr. king's letter from a birmingham jail to name a few. it's not enough to be able to quote from these documents. they need to know why they remain relevant today. they need to be able to put themselves and to others shoes and to appreciate the different perspectives that have shaped our nations history. we should teach students that slavery is not just a scar on a national character erased by the civil war. we should teach them to acknowledge and grapple with the ways that ugly lesson you see -- legacy continues to shape our country and to explain the treatment of people of color in america today. the way the new national museum of african american culture and

history at the national mall tell stories that are powerful and unforgettable. when i visited, i was filled with horror as i read the bill of sale. the bill of sale for a .6-year-old girl named polly i gazed upon a statue of thomas jefferson with the names of human beings he owned on a stack of bricks behind him. as i stood in front of what was ffin,emmett till's co that is not the only store the museum tells. it also tells the story of resistance and dignity in the face of oppression from that turner, harriet tubman, and frederick douglass to the tuskegee airmen. it is a wonderful resource for the nation and educators. students should understand that the constitution protects the right of nfl quarterback colin kaepernick to protest during the national anthem and why players across the country, including high school students, are doing

the same. they should also understand and be able to explain with evidence why some people are offended by that decision or would choose a different way to express their views. civics shouldn't be an add-on. it can be made a part of every class, not just social studies and history, but reading and writing and science and math studying climate change in science class can be broadened and made more relevant by asking student's to find out whether their local government is prepared to respond. math can be made more engaging by having student research the ratio of liquor stores to grocery stores to population in various neighborhoods. and then ask the mayor why that is the case. beyond knowledge, students also need civic skills. they should be able to write persuasive letters to the editor or to the mayor or member of congress and learn to speak at public meetings. in addition, they should have opportunities to do democracy. when i was teaching, i had my

seniors do research projects tackling local problems in the community. recall students who worked with a local nonprofit to end the dumping of garbage in their neighborhood, to support urban agriculture projects, and to advocate for more affordable housing. they learned that they could make a difference and that there are many ways to serve. joining the military is certainly one way to serve, but so too is assisting the homeless or fighting sexual violence or tutoring younger children. by getting involved in real issues, students learn it's not enough to just shout about the disappointments and criticize the ideas of others. they need to offer solutions. they have to work together to advocate for those solutions. they have to push that make sure that solutions are implemented and they have to understand that change takes time. i'm proud that we as a nation provide opportunities through americorps to support students

who want to spend a euro more giving back to a community in need. we currently have 80,000 folks serving on this program. over half are supporting our public schools. we should have far, far more. and i was an undergraduate come i taught civics one day a week at aat a school that serves lary low income students of color in boston. i also tutored young people in a mission main public housing eveloper in boston and ran a summer camp there. with my harvard undergraduates, we lived for a summer in the mission main housing project , which sadly at the time was rife with crime and drugs and violence. it was also rich with hope and resiliency and tenacity. we learned about those challenges and those commitments in the community and the way that i will never forget. those experiences helped shape my decision to pursue a career as a teacher and principal in

the very same neighborhood where i volunteered as an undergraduate. we also want our students to learn to look beyond their own interest to their enlightened self interest in the common good. i recently visited flint, michigan. -- may'm a lever live never live in flint, i recognized that it's in my interest to make sure the children and families in flint and every other city in the country have safe water to drink and the opportunity to fulfill their potential. service will help students understand the challenges in the community, help them understand themselves, and also helps them understand the importance of the common good. colleges also have an important role to play in preparing young people to fulfill the responsibilities as citizens. back in 1947, the truman commission on higher education for democracy concluded that r democracy should

come first among the principal goals for higher education. it should come first among the principal goals for higher education. as true today, but this goal has been forgotten at times. education policy makers and educators and students and families have approached colleges if it's only worthwhile goal was a means of success in the competitive job market. we know it has to be about more than that. or highertion education, we have to see it as preparing students for college and careers and for civic ,articipation for citizenship for caring about the common good and contributing to the common good. the good news is that this kind of civic education that digs into challenging issues and teaches knowledge's, skills, and inclinations to serve actually works. it changes students behaviors as adults. research compiled shows that students who received effective civic education are more likely

to vote and discussed politics at home, four times more likely to volunteer and work on community issues, and more confident in their ability to speak publicly and communicate with elected officials. as a bonus, this type of civic learning can prepare students for demanding careers in a globally competitive labor market because they will learn to think critically, write clearly and persuasively, and to work with diverse groups of people. the biggest and most important outcome of all is that high-quality civic education prepare students to help the nation solve difficult, challenging, complex issues and make it a better, more equitable place to live with genuine opportunity for all. civic education must be an essential part of a well-rounded education. it must be at the foundation of the future, not only of our economy but of our democracy. thank you for this opportunity to talk with you and i look forward to your questions. [applause]

jeff: thank you, mr. secretary. even before the lunch, there's a lot of interest. [laughter] there are cards coming up and stuff coming on twitter as we speak. we are trying to be in the 21st century with the questions. just attack on the end of your ofech, you engaged in a lot rhetoric of where we should be in the civic space in terms of education and talking about current issues. it is one thing to talk about it, but another thing to implement it. has you implement it? -- how do you implement it? sec. king: we are putting out a states andeam that

districts could use in support of civic education and social studies education to provide professional development to teachers to create communities that practice around issues of civic education. schools ands districts need to make the decision that this is a priority. one of our challenges during the no child left behind era was that in some schools and districts, the focus on english and math was so narrow that it crowded out social studies, science, computer science. we have got an opportunity with every student succeeds actress states to think about what is an education and to make sure that includes social studies and civic education. the third piece is to lead up teachers like joanna. jeff: she's blushing. sec. king: its well-deserved. there are great civic educators and sometimes they are not teachers and social studies.

sometimes it's a science teacher that cares immensely about issues of environmental protection. sometimes it's a matter teacher who is -- a math teacher who is deeply concerned about economic opportunities indicated. -- in the community. their educators in every district that can be empowered to lead in their school districts around civic education. jeff: there are a couple of follow-ups to this. here is one. i think this goes to current events. tonight, of course, is the final presidential debate. there are a couple of questions on that front. do you think that there has been an increase in bullying in schools due to the tone of the race? want to ask them together? jeff: let me throw one other in here. go ahead, that suffices. sec. king: i cannot comment specifically on the 2016 election.

what i can say is that i worry intensely about ensuring a school is a safe and supportive environment for every child. the first thing i did on my first day as secretary in january and the last thing that arne did on his last day as secretary was to sign a joint letter to school districts and school communities about the importance of creating environments of religious an increase in anti-muslim bullying in school. we also worry intensely about the issue of bullying of students who are migrants. and i think we have a challenge, as educators, two major that school is a safe place. i think it is possible to have constructive conversations about the issues of civic engagement and haveical debates, a nonnegotiable principle that school has to be a safe place

from bullying. >> one follow-up. i know you can't comment on the race in depth, but have the debates and race said anything about the civic education that go so deeply into it? was this what is lacking? you know, there is a danger in this conversation about civic education. the focus on immediate events. if you look broadly and where we are, as a society, we have a lot of work to do to make sure that our young people are prepared to engage as citizens. i raise the issue around the police and the communities of we have to make sure that arele -- and parents scared. we have to make sure how we tackle those challenges.

that we can talk to the mayor and the city council about the kinds of training that is provided to police officers. it is something we can impact if we engage at the local level. don't know. there may be reasons in the current discourse. but i think it is deeper than that. i think we have to ask ourselves as a society how we prepare our children. >> let's get into yesterday. the president was at a local high school. and touted the high graduation rates from high school and test scores. but one thing that a question asked -- it comes with higher graduation rates but in some cases, lower test scores. the questioner asked whether students should be more college ready when they graduated from high school. you said that you believe high school and career readiness must

be a reality for all students. how do you bridge that gap between those record high graduation rates with record low test scores? >> we worry a lot about that. if you go to any college around the country, you will find 50%of 280% of students -- and all the way up to 80% of students who have to take remedial courses. and so we have to make sure we figure out how they are ready for what is next. that 40 plusging states have been deeply engaged in raising standards. states need to commit to college readiness and career standards. so i think we have made progress

over the last eight years in bringing attention to this work. and there is professional development that is happening and work that folks are doing on teacher preparation and support, but there is clearly more to do. and one of the things we have been careful to say is, yes. we are very proud that graduation rates have gone up significantly, and very proud for african-american, latino, low income students. but we have to stay focused. at the state level and the district level, it to ensure that all students graduate ready. that require states to develop plans to achieve that. and one of the things we have tried to make clear is that they have a responsibility to make sure those plans in short opportunities for children in every community. it can't just be that in some places kids get access to college ready coursework and others don't. and in some they get advanced

placement classes and others don't. takeplaces, kids can chemistry and physics and out of her two and other places, they can't. states have as well as ability to ensure that all students have access. and one measure of the success will be, are we able to close the equity gaps? department going forward needs to be vigilant about that. >> this raises the acts that you cite. over the summer, you referenced this with various colleagues. you talked about new regulations that you will be promoting in the coming days. this was met with stiff resistance. you want to bridge the funding gap and level the playing field and yet, there are members of congress who are saying, you are breaking the spirit of the brand-new law that was just implementn you try to

these regulations and level the playing field. how do you answer those charges? as a high school social studies teacher, let me give you the historical context on the question. when the original elementary and secondary education act was passed, it was passed as a civil rights law, intended to address gaps in opportunity. one of the things that they found immediately after it passed was that districts were taking the money that was provided and was intended to benefit the highest need todents and using that money back fill local and state obligations and so students in high need schools were still getting significantly less and were not getting the money that was intended to support them. , supplements were

not planned. so this is a 50 year struggle to ensure that this is supplemental. is, 50 yearsee their districts where you can go 10 blocks, a school that it versusluent kids, serving high need students. that is clearly a violation of the law. non-supplantments is a part of the feedback. there were changes to the feedback that require us to regulate and make clear how we are going to finally deliver on the words of the law. our regulations that are out for comment are designed to do that. that it is genuinely supplemental and to ensure that the resources that were intended

in 1965 to get to the highest need students actually get there. now i understand their people calling for a ignoring this. ensurey no, don't try to that the law is followed. havee other hand, you senator murray who has been very clear that it is in the law and that they see our regulations as words ofing the very the lot. we take public comment and we will respond. but we are clear that the purpose of this law is to get resources to the highest need students. >> so you are not over regulating in your view, you are upholding the law? >> exactly right. , howeaking of inequality should educators tackle the -- and what is the role of financial literacy?

one of the most important things with the improvement in graduation rates is that we know students who graduate with a betterhool diploma are for the economy. so one thing we can do is that ensure more students are prepared for college or careers for family wages and to ensure that kids don't just get to college, but through college. support thathe students need to actually finish that while they are there. beginning, when the president was working in the stimulus and responding to the , from therisis beginning the president was clear that we needed to take emergency steps to get the economy back on track. but we also needed to make long-term investments in our future and that education was essential to that.

that is for improvement grants. so we believe that improving the quality of education is inextricably linked to improving ensuring anand opportunity for all people. the other thing i would add is the president proposed something called preschool for all. an idea that would ensure that all four-year-olds would have access to pre-k and we have to ignore it that given the brain science, a lot of learning takes place from a 0-4 and our failure to do that and give universal access to pre-k for 3-year-old's as well as four-year-olds, that is a failure to invest in the long term success. continuee to work to and strengthen that. but it is also time for an investment in early learning.

because we know we have a long-term return. that raises an interesting follow-up. you want universal preschool. in fact, i believe you were at a forum earlier this week when you talk to my colleague about this. ,ut if you want more funding how does that work when you are trying to put forth these new regulations which are basically upsetting congress who is holding the strengths of the purse strings? how do you deal with that? >> you're right. these things are interrelated in that, at the end of the day, we have to realize as a society -- this is true for all of elected officials -- that we have a stake in the success of other people's children. we have a stake in the success of other kids, from the neighborhood down the road and , you haveown the road a stake in the success of every

child. so when we say we want to continue to direct resources to --h need kids, we undermine when we say we can't invest in early learning, we are making a shortsighted decision. because the research shows that ishas an 8-1 return if it high quality. prisonsll save money in . save money later on the cost of social services versus students not having the skills and opportunities that they deserve. >> you mention presence. you rolled out a new program in trying to partner with a lot of universities for those who were incarcerated. for a long time, people could get title degrees and other degrees while incarcerated. what is significantly different and new about this program versus what has been available within professional institutions

for decades? >> the history on this is that in the mid-90's -- the mid-1990's, congress made a mistake. arer to that, if you incarcerated, you could use pellet rims to support higher education. when they banned access for folks who were incarcerated, many higher education opportunity shut down around the country. what we have done through the president's experimental authority with the higher education act, we launched a pilot launched second chance. have universities that are students up to 12,000 with the opportunity to pursue a higher education while incarcerated. get an that those who education while incarcerated are dramatically less likely to return to prison and are better able to succeed when they return to the community. a study was down that showed a

anyafter receiving educational program. any participation in an educational program. so this is another place where it is a smart investment. because we read the return of folks not going back to prison. .eople leaving crime and i have had the opportunity to visit some of the prison education programs. and at what you'll see is that people and it there because of the opportunities they didn't -- orr arbitration opportunities they didn't take advantage of. but they recognize that through these skills, they can change their lives. place where, as a country, we want to undo the damage of mass incarceration and one place where it starts is with giving opportunities.

>> this goes back to funding. do you navigate that minefield when you deal with regulation fees and preschool fees and all that? how do you find that program? >> we know from the history of when access was available, it is a very very small, about 1% or less than 1% of spending. we currently have a surplus. the president proposed in the respects thewhich constraints of what we need, given our broader fiscal challenges as a country, in the 2017 budget we promote restoring access to folks who are incarcerated and that is done within the budget. wheres is a place again we risk, as a society of being penny wise and pound foolish. we spend much more over the long run if a person leaves prison

and commits further crimes. >> on a different subject. common core. you have addressed standards. the president praised schools for achieving common core standards. but school districts and politicians on both sides of the aisle have called it a punishment driven shotgun approach to achieving high education standards. they want better curriculum implementation and timing. some schools say common core standards in the catholic education or incompatible with the catholic education. and a think tank even called it a federal overreach which is not education but rather the training and production of workers for the economic regime. do your critics have a point? let me start with the

historical context on this. so the role of the federal government is not to tell states what they are standing for. what we have said and what they actually require is that they have college and career ready standards but they develop the standards. some states have chosen the common core. state chiefs to develop those. those were state developed and state chosen. and sometimes folks get the history wrong on it that our position has always been college and career readiness standards that said, adopting readiness standards is just the first step. they follow that with support and training for teachers and principals. and we see many states engage in that work and many have used the federal resources or title i

dollars to support strengthening teacher preparation so they can successfully teach their and career college ready standards. but we have a ways to travel. how do we make sure that high school graduation means ready for work? part of getting there is showing that standards for people getting there actually reflect college and career readiness. so that when they graduate, they are able to go on. close the 18%lps gap for students not getting out with the proper skill set and so on? >> it will help. but there is no silver bullet. that happens alongside other steps we need to take. i mentioned early learning. we know that schools that pay attention to chronic absenteeism and kids, who are because they are chronically absent, we know

something else is going on and they can get mental health services or support from their family. those schools have been significantly able to increase their graduation standards. johns hopkins does phenomenal work on this around the country. we know that schools that are diverse and that are intentionally diverse, that bring together students across lines of class and race, they it ism better, and research evidence that shows that low-income students who have the opportunity to go to schools with affluent children do better academically and they are better prepared for the diverse world that we have ahead. justyone who says that change this one thing and every thing will be perfect, that clearly is not right. we have to do multiple things to close the graduation rate gap. and to make sure kids graduate ready for what is next. >> charter schools. you said "what i worry most is that we have had schools who do

really great with charter authorizing, and generally have high quality charters and then we have one's that are underperforming. on the other hand, we have states that have not done as good of a job. laces like michigan, an unwillingness to hold charters to high standards." on whereour view charter should be by the time you leave office and how do you plan to get there? who cites your own education in new york for saving your life and trajectory, and what of non-charter public schools? one of the arguments against public schools is that charters get better resources than public education. there is a second question tied to this. days ago, the naacp national board called for a moratorium on new charter schools until laws are revised to make them as accountable and transparent as public schools. you believe they should meet the same standards of account

ability of public schools? and if you do, would you stop funding charter schools? as they recommend? so, we are fortunate as a country to have high-performing charters that are doing a great job. helping that are students perform at higher levels academically but also going to college at much higher demographically similar students and succeed there. that's good and we should have more schools like that. on i think any arbitrary cap the growth of high performance charters is a mistake in terms of our goal and improving opportunity for our kids. that said, states that are doing a bad job with charter authorizing, and that has to change. i talked about the example of michigan. we have states that set a low bar and then we have charters perform poorly and they failed to take action to close them,

which is the essence of the charter school compact. they were supposed to give more autonomy for greater accountability. and yes, some states have not followed through on that contract and that is a problem. thee decisions are made at state level. what we have done in the ministration over the last eight years is two things. we have provided resources to improve charter authorizing in states and work with states to strengthen their practices around reviewing the quality of chargers -- quality of charters. and we have invested in increasing the supply of great, high-performing charter schools. but the extent of what folks are want a better we job of charter authorizing, i agree. but where we have states that are doing a great job with charter authorizing and they should be allowed to grow, i

think we should. this is an issue where we have to put kids first. we have to put what is best for students and parents. students and parents are not as concerned about the model as they are about whether my child is getting a quality education. arbitrary cap doesn't make sense. we should not limit the access to great opportunity. >> a lot of teachers have been writing. what do you propose to do about the quality of pay between teachers and administrators? for example, like yourself? worked 12r said i hours yesterday and didn't have time for lunch. i make $47,000 a year, how much do you make? that is public record. i can't go to the bathroom when i need to, can you? howplease, don't talk about great teachers are. we need resources.

we need policies that help us. that is a pretty upset teacher there. >> yes. [laughter] >> we do see this across the country. we see states that i'm not made the investment they should in their education system. we did a report earlier this year looking at the difference we see thevestments rate of increase in investment spending on prisons that is three times as high as the k-12 education. as as just to me that society, we haven't put our resources where we should. so other states that should be teacher salary? absolutely. should we be paying more to teachers, especially those who

are willing to serve in the highest need communities where we have demand? absolutely. and the president proposed that. the president proposed that for an initiative called the best job in the world. ladderscentives, career , those are for teachers who teach in the highest need community. so we agreed about the need for more resources. learning, we did a study on pre-k pay and found that in many communities around the country, pre-k teachers are half of what they would be making if they were working in an elementary school. which again, suggest that our priorities are not right. place where ithe agree with the questioner. we need to invest more in education and resources. we should pay our teachers better. we know teachers are essential

for the future of our country. and we need to make sure that working conditions are good. it isn't just teacher pay. in a place of detroit, there is water leaking from the ceiling and rodents running across the floor. that doesn't make people want to stay over the long term. so we have to make sure working conditions are strong. and the final point i make is -- is important. if you consistently under resourced the highest need schools, the result will be poor working conditions in those schools and the inability to retain the great teachers at the highest need students need. >> we are running out of time. issue of one of your senior staff who had to resign over waste fraud.

have you been able to clean up the issues in the expect her general's office? an employee int the i.t. department, who made mistakes and was accountable for those mistakes. chose ultimately to resign. no longer with the department. we have a very strong team around our i.t. and we are very on continually strengthening cyber security. this is cyber security month. i just came from a meeting at the apartment this morning. makingvery focused on sure that our i.t. systems are as strong as possible. and to make sure that we are providing good services. toolllege scorecard is a through the strength

of our i.t. system and worked across the administration to leverage technology on behalf of taxpayers and students. scorecard allows students to find out information about every college. regulation rates, how much people make who have graduated, hope folks who are able to graduate we pay their loans. it is a great tool. and it is continuously evolving. i.t. is a strength now. employers can make mistakes. but we have systems in place to make sure that doesn't happen. >> before it hit the last question, a couple of announcements. debate night watch at the national press club. we have an upcoming luncheon on november 21, gina mccarthy and

the head of metro, the general manager, who has been here before. we deftly need an update on him on issues with the local subway system in washington, especially after the nats game. final question. to before i do that, and present you with the national press club mug. [applause] >> quickly, what advice would you give to a 12-year-old kid raised on public assistance who wants to be you. ? >> two things. faith in what's possible. live here today

because of what new york public school teachers did for me. one reason the president and first lady care so much about education is because they know the difference education made in their lives and the opportunities they had. so one thing is to have faith. because i think as a young person, it can feel like this is the only way it could ever be. and sometimes i talk to young people and they don't even have a vision for what it would be like to be an adult. they become hopeless about their future. so one is to have faith in what is possible. and you hopefully see in my example or the president's example or the first lady's example, of what education can make of us. number two is to work hard. work hard in school. education is the best path. there is a debate in the american life about is it poverty that matters or schools that matter. the reality is, those matter. schools are embedded in

communities. schools can face lives -- can save lives but they are embedded in the communities. be the difference. it can be the past. it can give you the opportunities to have life different bu four and your family. it can't solve everything but it can be a path. workor those of you, it hard and have faith. >> thank you. for more permission on national press club programs, go online. we are adjourned. [applause] >> thank you, very much. [applause]

>> watch c-span's live coverage of the third debate between hillary clinton and donald trump tonight.

delight debate preview starts at 7:30 p.m. the briefing is at 8:30 p.m. for the studio audience and debate starts at 9:00 p.m. stay with us after the debate for the reaction and watch the debate live or on-demand using your desktop, phone or tablet at c-span.org. listen with the free radio mobile at. less than seven hours until the debate and we are getting ready for our coverage outside of the center at the university of nevada in las vegas.

a reminder of our coverage getting underway with the preview program and the debate starting at 9:00. the focus is rightly so on this debate. a closely contested senate race in nevada between joe heck and catherine cortez masco. harry reid retiring as the democratic senator. the wall street journal saying joe heck will appear on the thel -- on the ballot with most divisive history in modern history. votersada ballot gives an option to choose none of the

voters. nevadan more about the politics from the city's tour. >> nevada in presidential politics has been a long time republican state. state,bj won the republicans won every election here, up until bill clinton, who won the state only twice, only because ross perot was on the ballot and was able to split the vote. they then were in the wilderness again until barack obama came along and it is seen as one of the swing states in the country, a so-called purple state. the state itself is a series of contradictions. there is a libertarian strain that run through here but there a very -- not evangelical but the mormons hold disproportionate sway to their numbers. there are a lot of mormons to run for public office. the mormon vote is considered

important. and nevada is three states when it comes to politics. southern nevada, very urban. urban atthern which is the other 15 counties which are very rural and very conservative. where a guy like harry reid would be hung in effigy sooner than he would be welcome in a local bar. listen, barack obama won the state twice because the party are erected by harry reid is a formidable force. the best operatives in the country work here thanks to harry's prominence and the fact that we became an early state in the 2008 cycle. states to first four vote in the presidential race on both sides. so we have become very prominent. once again, the democratic party after losing badly in 2014, they essentially retooled and now looks formidable for hillary clinton. and i think clinton has the advantage in this state.

fromlmost every prediction people like me have been wrong this year. debatefinal presidential will take place here in las vegas, what is the significance to the state? >> i don't think it is subtle how important this is for nevada. we had primary debates here last year. but you have the final debate in what could be a very close race two weeks before election day, it will put a spotlight on a place that is not often seen or thought about in nevada. sure they have the cliche spot this used to be known as a basketball school, it up-and-coming law school and there will be a spotlight on how far the university has come in trying to achieve tier one status. so it will be the other side of las vegas.

and it will show off the importance of nevada in the political race. so i think there is no downside for the state. who arehere any people ones to watch on the national level? , a remarkableval political story. he was in the legislature and was an attorney general for a statewide and then got a federal appointment. he then left that to run for governor. the first hispanic governor. he has already been floated for a supreme court pick briefly and then he withdrew but i don't think he will be on a ballot to be in doesn't want the u.s. senate, but i think he is a potential pick for a federal court appointment. maybe going to the supreme court or, whether hillary clinton or donald trump wins the

presidential election or somebody else, as a potential cabinet pick. he is a natural. looking out west and looking to be bipartisan. secretary.nterior maybe even to be education secretary. he is a one-of-a-kind political talent. the question is, what does he want to do with that? this is a guy who can go into a inm and talk to everybody the room, even people who don't like his politics, and they come away saying he is a friendly guy and a genuine guy. for beingriticisms too soft at times. i have called him governor sonny. but this is a guy who exudes affability. and he is impenetrable when it comes to trying to paint him down on things. which is a very good talent for a politician to have. one of the most

difficult people i've ever interviewed. >> what you think nevada voters are looking for in the election? time, whenis all the you ask that question, it seems like we must be aliens out there. we sprung from area 51 but the thing about nevada the people forget, and harry reid made that point is that we are much more reflective of america than you might think. forget about the gambling. most people who live here don't think about that as much. we are a melting pot of the burgeoning hispanic population, a significant asian and african american population. it is a real cosmopolitan population. and nevada was hit the hardest, of any state in the depression that we just came out of. and so i think all of those issues combined to make a

microcosm of america. anvoters are looking for economic plan that makes sense and that is fair. they are looking for a health care system that makes sense. a lot of people are in the service injury here and they were spoiled by having a cadillac health care plan. but that is another great contradiction. anight to work state but incredibly strong labor presence in southern nevada. so i don't think the interests of nevadans are much different from the interests of wisconsin or new york or florida. >> in the third and final presidential debate tonight at the university of nevada, the huffington post tweets that the at mccarran airport yesterday, the donald trump plane as a hillary clinton plane, side-by-side. the also tweeted about saying -- aims to be a debate timekeeper, not a fact checker.

if youuoted saying that make yourself to be in the debate, it isn't a debate anymore. the firstbe presidential debate hosted by a fox news host. :00 p.m.e is at nine eastern. next up, we take you to the white house. last night was the final state dinner hosted by president obama and michelle obama and they welcomed the italian prime minister and his wife to the white house. >> and routing for tonight's final state dinner. will beprime minister arriving with his wife, shortly. on the guest list, notable faces that you may see is josh earnest from the white house along with many members of the president's cabinet, along with business nancy pelosi who will be there.

chuck todd is expected to be there. and also, jerry seinfeld and once a funny who will be the entertainment tonight. james taylor also. these are folks who got the there arevitation and 400 guests who will be arriving. so we will show you the arrivals coming up on c-span. but in the meantime, we talked with the ambassador to the about states from italy preparations for tonight's state dinner. and also, about who the prime minister is. take a look. does theador, how state visit come about with the italian prime minister? >> it is an important event that is a sign of a special relationship. a special relationship

between president barack obama and the prime minister renzi. electedid italy gets for what could be the president's last day dinner? >> a long-standing tradition of the relations between the united states, we are partners and allies. and importantng community here in the united states. i have to say that our two leaders share the same view on many international topics. they concede that document -- that democracies have to stand together. both have special responsibilities. >> why now? it's been eight years, why now for italy? -- member of the united nations security council. celebrateext year, we -- and it is important that italy, the prominent member of the eu confers the importance of

european immigration. so i think that is a european framework with the priorities andthe discussion of obama prime minister renzi. >> describe our relationship, the u.s.-italian relationship. where do we work together? >> many fields. we have ministry work and spending side-by-side. in oure responsibility we want toavors, tackle the global issues. ranking from climate change to migration. these are the issues where traditionof a great share the same interest and approach. >> what is going on this week at the embassy as you prepare for the state dinner?

>> as you can see, it is rather lively. there is a great sense of excitement. we are really excited by this event. we have many things to care about. but myself and my staff, we are very excited. x and the prime minister, what kind of leader is he? he is a young, talented leader who is very dynamic. the youngest prime minister ever in italy. of italiangs a sense and you can ensure that the audience will come to know and love this young guy. who will be here with his spouse. >> americans will see him with his wife. south lawn of a arrival. americans will see the pageantry that goes into the types of visit like this.

what is the coordination like between the prime minister's office and the embassies here and our government? we have acted in cooperation with our colleagues and friends at the white house and the secret service. there are so many details to take care of. is a happyid, it event. it is a celebration. so we are happy to share with our friends and colleagues this moment. >> any special protocol for the italian prime minister? >> we will try to follow all the different procedures with a jolly spirit. and i think that what really matters is that we celebrate this as a long-standing friendship and also it is important for us to draw the understanding of the future. >> and what does the future agenda look like? and where else?

what will the two leaders talk about when they hold the joint conference? >> there are many challenges that both president obama and prime minister renzi share. we do consider that globalization requires on the parts of leaders, great care. but we rest convinced that there are many opportunities. >> does the prime minister have any concerns that he will talk to the president that he will talk about when they talk behind doors? andhey cap -- they talked they have many meetings. the summit. i think what the prime minister will bring here is -- i won't say concern but about the deep understanding that in order to

tackle these challenges, our countries and democracies have to build bridges. we have to stay connected. because integration is the only way to harness this process. think the italian people are hoping to get out of this visit for their country? for their leader to come here? will they be watching? >> for sure. italians are excited. i'm sure that when president obama and the first lady together with the prime minister and his spouse, to be seen together at the white house, i think this will be a great image. give theof them will sign of a strong vote. and our fellow italians will love it. >> thank you for your time. we appreciate it. that was the italian ambassador

to the united states. we spoke to him last week about tonight. it is the 13th state dinner and it will be their last. the president confirmed that today saying he saved the best for last. guests have already started to arrive. we see members from congress there. more are starting to come in and make their way into the white house for the reception. they will be able to shake the hands of the prime minister and the president and their spouses. then they go into the tents. there are 400 guests and more can fit there into the state dinner. so they will go to the south lawn for the dinner tonight. we will continue to watch here over the arrivals of the guests. live coverage on c-span.

s jr.. john rogers dun mr. stephen hightower. mr. allen so --

>> these garden room are arriving but we go over to the color guard and honor guard standing at attention, awaiting the arrival of the prime minister. we will watch and listen now.

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>> why do you think it is important to celebrate the relationship between the u.s. and italy? alliance, cross-cultural communication that goes on. coulter and music and theater and film. they have had an intimate relationship.

and i think there are a lot of italian-americans who are a big part of america. >> what he looking forward to tonight? >> a lot of talk about the election, any thoughts on the race? >> definitely. >> what are they? >> i don't know. >> why are italian americans so proud of their heritage? >> i think maybe because we're family-oriented. i don't know. it's a complicated question. coming from a country of a lot of different mixed cultures, so kind of a mixed group, ctually. it's a closeness within family. >> thank you. >> are you wearing armani? >> i am. >> she's wearing armani. i'm italian. >>. >> ok, bye.

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>> awhat is it like being in a state darren? >> well, i have a trip coming up this thursday and cut it out, so i think i should only come here for events when we were working on children's nutrition and let's move. i'm wildly nervous. thank you. [introduction of guests]

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>> i think we're all super excited to see this. >> have you had a chance 20 check out your design tonight? >> i didn't design yet. oh, yeah, yeah. [introduction of guests]

>> what do you have to say about tonight? >> i'm excited it's the last state dinner. it's bittersweet. i'm excited to have some of mario botelli's food, chicago love. it's an historic event. i'm so glad i'm here with my husband, too. well, i love the obamas, and it's the last state dinner. and i've only been to the white house for a correspondents dinner. my father was social secretary of the reagan white house. i married somebody that worked in the clinton white house. so they're all milestones. this is a big milestone for me and probably the last state dinner.

>> your first state dinner? >> my first as an adult. yes. oh, thank you. jay mendel and celine shoes, and fake diamond earrings, and the real engagement ring and wedding band from george stephanopoulos. >> and who is your husband wearing? >> what are you wearing? what? he wants me to leave. baby gap probably. bye. have a good night. [introduction of guests]

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>> i have some stuff. a couple of cannoli one-liners. >> you're not italian. why do you think you're here? >> we identify as italian. >> we're jews, but we identify as italian. we spend a lot of time traveling in italy, and we almost exclusively go out for italian food. but that's as far as i can figure. >> no, that was just that day. >> shy away from politics. what is it like being in the belly of the beast right now? >> fun. it's cool. it's hard not to be overwhelmed by it when you think of the history of this here. the food. >> are you friends with mario got ellie? >> yes, yes. it's a little inconvenient, but we're happy to have it again. >> what do you think a