The Connecticut State Department of Education asked that we share the following statement, released yesterday.
State Department of Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor Recognizes National Teacher Day
In recognition of National Teacher Day, State Department of Education Commissioner Stefan Pryor released the following statement:
“As the son of two former public school teachers, as well as the beneficiary of dozens of dedicated educators during my own time in public school, I know that teaching is more than a job — it is a calling. In December, during the unspeakably tragic events at Sandy Hook, Newtown educators, including those we lost, acted heroically on behalf of the students in their charge. In the days and weeks that followed, we were reminded again of the selfless spirit of the teaching profession as Newtown teachers and Connecticut teachers statewide returned to their classrooms in the face of profound grief and concern. On behalf of Connecticut’s education community, I want to express my thanks to all our state’s teachers for your daily actions, both inside and outside the classroom, on behalf of our students. On a personal note, I would also like to thank Sheila Cohen, Melodie Peters, and the other leaders of the Connecticut Education Association and American Federation of Teachers-Connecticut for our continued partnership.”
If the Commissioner really wanted to thank teachers he would show it by not promoting the privatization of public schools through organizations like StudentFirst and ConnCan. Firing Vallas and Adamowski would also show a concern for PUBLIC school teachers. Disingenuous at best.
You have got to be kidding me. Pryor’s hollow words don’t take away from his actions in helping to make every teacher in the state of Connecticut’s teaching life more difficult. It’s easy to thank us after pushing his test crazy and corporate reform agenda. What a fraud.
I look forward to our commissioner, whose only educational experience is one semester of student teaching, departure from our state.