Dear NEA members,
I am honored to serve as your president. United, we will reclaim public education as a common good and transform it into a racially and socially just system that actually prepares every student—not one, not some, but every single student—to succeed in a diverse and interdependent world. Onward!
FACE TO FACE WITH NEA MEMBERS
A few months ago, in Wake County, North Carolina, I met with school bus drivers who are shouldering a Sisyphean burden, as untenable staffing shortages keep them on the road day and night. These heroic educators—who are so essential to student safety and well-being—must be paid and appreciated! During the same trip, which was part of my Joy, Justice, and Excellence Tour, I sat down with teachers and students in the North Carolina Teacher Cadet Program at East Forsyth High School, in Forsyth County. I am so proud of the work these educators are doing to support and grow students interested in our great profession. (More than 100 former cadets have already returned to teach in Forsyth schools!) This is the gold key to unlocking a bright future in public education. Rejuvenation!
What I’m Listening To
“Don’t do the dishes.”
Wise words from Native poet, novelist, and bookstore owner Louise Erdrich. In Living Nations, Living Words—an audio collection of 47 Native poems curated by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo—Erdrich reads aloud her poem, “Advice to Myself.” In three minutes and some seconds, she tells us, “Leave the black crumbs in the bottom of the toaster....Don’t worry if anything matches.” She continues, “Decide first what is authentic, and then go after it with all your heart.”
I love this so much! And I love that Erdrich explains what she was thinking when she penned those lines. The recording, an NEA Read Across America recommendation, is available on the Library of Congress website. Check out other Read Across America recommendations at nea.org/readacross.
Two Things To Do for Your Union and Students
Make a Plan to Vote!
