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
How much do I love books? A lot. But you know what I love more? Sharing them with NEA members! I was so happy to visit Maryland’s Gaithersburg Elementary and meet third-grade teacher Megan Sterling, a winner of NEA’s Read Across America Sweepstakes. As a grand prize recipient, Megan won more than 500 books for her school, including a set of Read Across-recommended books for every classroom teacher.
I was especially delighted to meet one of Megan’s students, a third-grader, who told me she never sees books with people who look like her. Well, among the many titles we brought to Gaithersburg were Juna and Appa and Powwow Day, which depict families of color. Diverse books make a difference! Get recommendations at nea.org/readacrossamerica.
What I'm Reading
April is National Poetry Month—one of my favorite celebrations! To me, poems are small meditations, like a cup of tea to sip and savor. Currently, I relish the words of Amanda Gorman in her 2021 book, Call Us What We Carry: Poems. Consider this excerpt, which reminds us to continue speaking our truths as educators:
To be accountable we must render an account:
Not what was said, but what was meant.
Not the fact, but what was felt.
What was known, even while unnamed.
Our greatest test will be
Our testimony.
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