WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden paid tribute Thursday to his fellow teachers, organizers of the 2024 edition national And state teachers of the year at a posh dinner at the White House to honor their commitment to their students and their excellence in the classroom.
“Tonight we celebrate you because teaching is not just a job, it is a calling. And you were all called to this profession for a reason,” said the first lady, who has been teaching for more than 30 years. “You believe that a better world is possible and you make that world a reality. »
President Joe Biden made a brief, surprise appearance at the East Room event immediately after returning from a trip to North Carolina, saying he appreciated everything teachers do.
“You are amazing,” he said. “You are the kite strings that elevate our national ambitions. »
National and state Teachers of the Year typically attend a ceremony at the White House after being selected by an organization that represents elementary and secondary school educators. (They didn’t come during the coronavirus pandemic.)
But Jill Biden, who has taught English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College since 2009, added a new twist by honoring teachers at a “state dinner.”
Education Secretary Miguel Cardona emphasized that state dinners at the White House are reserved for kings, presidents and prime ministers as a sign of respect for their influence.
“So, by hosting the State Dinner for Teachers, the President and his administration are honoring our teachers with a level of national respect that is long overdue,” he said to applause. “There is no American dream without American teachers.”
America’s public schools continue to face many challenges, from teacher shortages due to low pay and job stress, to underfunded schools, to political struggles over what should be taught and how .
A Pew Research Center survey conducted in April found that the majority of K-12 teachers say their jobs are often stressful, their schools are understaffed, and they would not advise today’s youth to follow them into the occupation.
Miss Testerman, The 2024 National Teacher of the Year, who has been teaching for more than 30 years, said she often wishes she could create a “dream school” that would be a well-funded, modern and well-stocked place where every child thrives and where teachers see the potential in each student.
“Unfortunately, this dream can sometimes seem like a fantasy and our reality often feels heavy because of the struggles we see our students endure,” said Testerman, an ESL teacher at Rogersville City School in Rogersville, Tennessee.
“But in real life, we don’t just teach our students, we hug them, advocate for them, help them feel safe, and help them create a better future for themselves,” he said. she declared.
A White House state dinner is a diplomatic tool used selectively by presidents to showcase cooperation from close allies of the United States. Key features include a grand welcome ceremony for the visiting head of state, a face-to-face meeting with the president and a lavish black-tie dinner with hundreds of guests, including titans of the world of politics, business and Hollywood.
Teachers received a lite version.
Upon arrival, guests posed for photos in front of a book shelf displaying encyclopedias and other books with the papers of former presidents, brass bells, gold-painted apples and vases of iris, the flower official state of Tennessee honoring the National Teacher of the Year. Some vases were made with upside-down pencils.
Each teacher was surprised in their place with a handmade thank you note from their students, fellow teachers and school management, organized by their school principal.
Dinner consisted of an apple, walnut and celery salad followed by a main course of lobster ravioli. Dessert was a trio of strawberries and cream, apple mousse and coconut cream cake.
Complete the guest list among more than 200 people were Doug Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris; Cabinet members including Cardona and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, whose husband Chasten is a teacher; members of Congress and leaders of the two major teachers unions. Emhoff, a former entertainment lawyer, teaches at Georgetown Law School.
This year’s State Teachers of the Year include those from 49 states, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the District of Columbia and the Department of Defense. Florida did not participate.
THE Council of Public School Directors oversees the national Teacher of the Year program.