Creativity is good and whatever. But if the children don't know how to read, I don't care how creative you are. You're not doing your job.

We've lost our competitive spirit. We've become so obsessed with making kids feel good about themselves that we've lost sight of building the skills they need to actually be good at things.

That should be the goal, is that every kid in every neighborhood, despite whatever challenges they may face, are getting a great education in our public schools.

I think that one thing that people are missing is that we are never going to be able to fix this country's [American] economy in the long run until we fix our public education system.

We are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights, privileges and priorities of adults.

If you grew up in a lower-income community, or less well-off, the belief is that the way to change that circumstance is through education.

An education reformer is as important in America as the first lady.

We all have to have more rigorous expectations of our kids in America.

I'd rather deal with anger than apathy.

Poverty is so significant that we can't expect to overcome the impacts of poverty in schools.

You may not do well, necessarily, up front, and in order to be the best, you've got to work hard.

Soul meets soul on lovers lips.

When you start with thanksgiving, you will always end with praise. Be thankful, it grows.

If you could see my thoughts, you could see our faces.

I was a total athlete. I loved sports, but when I realized I wasn't going to be a professional athlete, I realized I wanted to be in movies.

The only reason I got married in 2003 was for my children. I had a therapist who said marriage is really a container for a family, and that made sense to me.

Without looking out of my window I could know the ways of heaven

Hee that lives well is learned enough.

Know this, if someone has cheated on you who truly loves you, they have hurt themselves as much as they have hurt you.

I can't bail out on Cary," I said apologetically, turning to face him. "Chicks before dicks and all that.

One's desire, not ability, determines success.