President George W. Bush stood in one of the poorest, yet highest-achieving, schools in Albuquerque on Wednesday and said the nation must "challenge the soft bigotry of low expectations."

"We must make sure the mind-set that says certain children can't learn to read is eradicated all across America," Bush told about 200 parents, teachers, students and dignitaries at Griegos Elementary School in the North Valley.

Bush was visiting the school on its first day, accompanied by Education Secretary Rod Paige, Sens. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and Lt. Gov. Walter Bradley.

"It's so much easier to walk into a classroom of tough-to-educate children and say, 'we'll just move you through,' '' Bush said. "That's the easiest path."

Bush, standing on a stage with Griegos students and teachers, praised the school for not taking that path -- for successfully teaching children to read.

According to Albuquerque Public Schools data, 72 percent of Griegos second-graders read at or above grade level.

Bush said he was promoting a reading initiative based on the "science" of reading, with phonics and intervention programs as the basics.

His plan also calls for increased accountability, federal money for effective research-based programs, local control of schools and more parent involvement. It would give parents in low-performing schools vouchers so their children can attend the schools of their choice.

The president's plan calls for annual testing of all students from third through eighth grades. New Mexico tests from third through ninth grade.

Bush said such data are expected when public dollars are spent on schools.

"Then you hear people say it's racist to test," Bush said. "Do you know what I think? I think it's racist not to test. I think it basically says kids can't learn."

Bush praised Griegos Elementary and its principal, Eddie Lucero. The school rates as one of the best in New Mexico despite having two out of three students living below the federal poverty level.

"We're not guessing in New Mexico whether or not children are learning to read," Bush said. "We know, because your state is bold enough to adapt a policy that says, show us whether or not the children are learning before any child gets left behind."

Paige on Wednesday released a new brochure -- printed in English and Spanish -- that tells parents how to evaluate schools.

"For many students at this school, they face poverty or barriers that other schools use as excuses," said Paige, who was launching a tour of U.S. schools Wednesday. "I see success. Here you have good teaching, good methods, leaving not a child behind."

Paige also introduced assistant secretary Bob Pasternack, formerly of the New Mexico Department of Education.

The president earlier visited Gloria Schatzinger's second-grade classroom to read Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." The Bush education plan emphasizes that all students should read by third grade.

"Listen to your teacher," Bush told the students. "So when she says practice reading, make sure you practice reading."

Bush paused several times during his reading to quiz students on spelling or make comments about the caterpillar like: "Ooooh, I like watermelon when it's hot."

An Albuquerque company, Retirement Strategies, donated 27 copies of the Carle book to the classroom earlier that day.

Outside, other students lined up on bleachers against a wall that said "Character Counts" to greet the president, who spent several minutes shaking their hands and visiting.

The distant thump of protesters' drums could be heard from a nearby park, although three large white dump trucks were blocking any outside view of the president.

"I think that it's pretty special," said fourth-grader Sima Ijadi, who watched the speech from the back row.

Second-grade teacher Wanda De Herrera, who sat with students next to the stage, was still nervous with excitement minutes after Bush's departure.

"He's just real positive," De Herrera said. "He was real down to earth. His goals for education are what we really strive for at Griegos."

Some vacation.

President Bush's eight-hour visit to Albuquerque on Wednesday included a speech at an elementary school, a ribbon cutting for a job center, a meeting with ministers and a fund-raising dinner for Sen. Pete Domenici.

The president still had time to eat enchiladas and read a book with second graders.

On his first trip to New Mexico since he won the 2000 election -- while losing the state by 366 votes -- Bush talked about student achievement testing, trade with Mexico, his faith-based charity initiative and the importance of small businesses to the American economy.

At a ribbon-cutting marking the opening of the Barelas Job Opportunity Center, which is south of Downtown, Bush generated wild applause from a crowd of about 1,000 people when he touted his recently enacted tax cut plan as being healthy for businesses.

But the president also drew a few jeers when he mentioned his support of the North American Free Trade Agreement and for allowing trucks from Mexico free rein on American highways. Democrats and labor unions have lodged concerns about safety and economic competition.

"Oh, I know there's some voices who want to wall us off from Mexico," Bush said, leaning over the lectern toward the crowd and speaking forcefully. "They want us to build a wall. I say to them, they want to condemn our neighbors to the south to poverty, and I refuse to accept that type of isolationist and protectionist attitude."

Bush said NAFTA calls for allowing Mexican trucks unlimited access to American highways.

"I believe strongly we can have safety on our highways without discriminating against our neighbors to the south," he said.

Bush met privately with local religious leaders at the Sheraton Old Town hotel to talk about his faith-based charity initiative. And at an assembly at Griegos Elementary School in the North Valley, he announced that the federal government would give $6.8 million over three years to Albuquerque Public Schools for 21 new magnet schools.

Before the president boarded Air Force One and flew back to his ranch in Texas to continue his August working vacation, he helped Domenici, R-N.M., add to his re-election bank account at a fund-raising dinner for about 500 people at the Sheraton Old Town.

Bush's monthlong vacation has been the subject of media attention. The Washington press corps, possibly grumpy about spending the month of August in Texas, has described it as the longest vacation by a president in recent memory.

Bush has said there is little business to tend to in Washington with Congress on recess for almost the entire month of August. He retreated to his Texas ranch for what he has called a "working vacation" and has made several day trips "to the heartland."

Punctual president

The president seemed at home in New Mexico's bright sunshine Wednesday, peppering his remarks with Spanish and eating heartily of enchiladas and chile con queso.

Unlike his predecessor, Bill Clinton, who visited New Mexico often and was famous for shaking hundreds of hands and running behind schedule, Bush confined his visit to well-controlled, invitation-only events and arrived early for most of them.

Bush started the day at Griegos Elementary School in Albuquerque's North Valley, where he sat in a chair labeled "The President" at the front of Gloria Schatzinger's second-grade classroom. He read with the children from "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," a colorful picture book about a voracious caterpillar.

Bush greeted an assembly in the school gymnasium and repeated one of his campaign themes -- expecting every child to be able to read and testing them to make sure they can.

The president had his suit coat off and an apparently big appetite when lunch for 60 from El Pinto was delivered to the White House entourage at their 11th-floor rooms at the Sheraton Old Town.

The White House called the North Valley restaurant earlier in the week about feeding the president, said co-owner John Thomas and Jim Garcia, director of operations.

Bush answered the question "red or green?" just like Bill Clinton did on his many trips to New Mexico, they said. He said, "Yes," meaning both.

"He had red beef enchiladas and green chile chicken enchiladas," Garcia said. The menu also included rice, beans, guacamole and chile con queso.

"He was pretty hot on the chile con queso," Garcia said. "He loved the red chile ribs. He ate a hearty meal, I'll tell you."

Barelas speech

After lunch, Bush spoke to a crowd of roughly 1,000 people gathered on bleachers outside the Barelas Job Opportunity Center under a sweltering August sun.

The center is part of a $1.8 million project built by the Hispano Chamber through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the city of Albuquerque and the University of New Mexico.

The center was set up to provide life and work training skills, instruction on résumé writing and job interviews. It also aids career enhancement through technology and self-marketing seminars in places like Barelas, one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city.

Bush was joined by Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M. Among the Democratic guests of honor were Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Jill Z. Cooper, wife of Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., and state Sen. Manny Aragon, D-Albuquerque. Archbishop Michael Sheehan also sat on the platform as the president spoke.

The president extolled the virtues of small business, especially small Hispanic-owned businesses.

"Small business is the backbone of our economic system," Bush said. "And one of the pieces of incredibly good news about America is the number of Latino businesses is increasing dramatically. The fastest growing business sectors in many of our states is the Hispanic-owned businesses."

Mike Romero, who has lived in Barelas for 45 years and who works at Roses Southwest Paper in the neighborhood, listened somewhat skeptically to Bush's speech.

"I guess it brings us a lot of attention," said Romero. "Don't get me wrong. That's a good thing. But I want to see this community really come around. I want to see us get good jobs. I don't want to keep hearing people just talking about it. Maybe this (Bush's visit) will help bring more jobs here."

Politics and protest

Earlier in the day, Bush met with about 25 local religious leaders to discuss his controversial proposal to allow churches and nonprofits to work with government to combat social problems.

"You should welcome faith-based programs that exist because someone has heard a calling much greater than government, much greater than laws that can be passed out of Congress," Bush said.

Participants included Deacon Juan Barajas, director of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe's evangelization and Hispanic ministry, and Dennis Lihte, director of Noon Day Ministry.

The president's motorcade passed one large demonstration as it arrived at the fund-raising dinner at Sheraton Old Town Inn. More than 100 environmentalists, Democrats and others -- including a person dressed in a bear suit to symbolize wilderness protection -- gathered across from the Sheraton Old Town for a rally before the president arrived.

The demonstrators said they were there to unify the Democratic Party, to protest Bush's energy policy and to bring attention to free-trade issues.

"We have an energy bill before us that is an abomination to this country," said Gregory S. Green of the National Environmental Trust in New Mexico.

At the fund-raiser, Bush lauded Domenici and the senior senator's long record of "passionate" service to New Mexicans.

"I can't believe anybody would dare run against him," Bush said. "But someone might be foolish enough to do it."

Domenici is seeking a sixth term in 2002. Although he is considered extremely tough to beat, he has already begun amassing a re-election war chest. Wednesday night's fund-raiser produced almost $500,000.

"It's important that, when you get a decent man in Washington," Bush said, "you send him back to Washington."

Journal staff writers Aaron Baca, Paul Logan, Miguel Navrot and Tania Soussan contributed to this report

Copyright 2001 Albuquerque Journal