FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA VISITS THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

First lady Michelle Obama speaks to staff during her visit to the Department of Education. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

According to the washingtonpost,
During a 10 minute speech with a pep rally atmosphere, Obama plugged the president’s stimulus plan, which would pay to renovate thousands of schools, add funding for preschool for disadvantaged children and increase federal dollars for Pell Grants for college students. She said the infusion of cash would prevent teacher layoffs and help children in poverty and those with disabilities.

“This is a good thing to see — this department fired up and ready to go,” Obama said as the crowd of about 350, the maximum allowed under fire code violations, cheered and used their cell phones to snap photos.

“The Department of Education is going to be at the forefront of many of the things that we have to do in this administration and we’re going to need that energy in these times of economic challenge,” she said.

Michelle Obama also noted the administration’s support of innovate approaches such as charter schools and turnaround programs intended to make sweeping changes in long-struggling schools. “There’s a lot of work to do, and we’re going to need you,” she said.