A Message from CEA President Sheila Cohen
This week marks American Education Week (AEW). Thank you all for your hard work day in and day out, before school and after school, evenings and weekends, summers and holidays. Thank you for the dedication and commitment that you—our CEA members—put forth for the benefit and well-being of your students.
During this week, there will be plenty of kind words to go around. I hope you enjoy the full measure of the pride and appreciation that you so deserve. But I also encourage you to remind people that the spirit of the AEW commemoration of public school success needs to be celebrated for more than just one week. It must be more than a mere moment in time.
As difficult as it may be for those of us who serve in what is probably the most humble of professions, it does indeed fall to us to do the reminding— telling our success stories and letting everyone in the public, as well as in the private sectors, know just how wonderful, just how effective, and just how highly qualified we truly are!
The spirit of American Education Week, in fact, needs to be with students, parents, and communities, as well as with state and federal policymakers all the time. This positive spirit is essential if we are to provide every public school student with the high-quality educational opportunities she/he deserves.
This positive spirit is integral to any comprehensive effort to eradicate poverty, especially child poverty in our hometowns. And this spirit is crucial if we are to succeed in promoting a teacher-led, student-centered campaign to make our public schools even better.
As teachers, we know education is about much more than data—much more than test results—much, much more. Every day in public schools, students grow and learn. Every day there are more teachable moments than can be counted. There is more dedication, perseverance, care, love, outreach, and hard work than words can ever communicate. And it is all because of you, the professional educator.
Great public schools are a fundamental right for each and every child in America, regardless of zip code. From early childhood through grade 12 and beyond, our communities must continue to work together with us to ensure every student has access to the very best public education possible.
On the occasion of American Education Week, please join me in encouraging everyone to renew their commitment to high-quality public schools. Stand together in urging everyone you meet that they stand by that commitment not just this week, but every single day.
And thank you, members of CEA, thank you for what you do each and every day of your professional careers!
Wonderful sentiments, Sheila!!!