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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2003

News Release

NEA Celebrates National Teacher Day, May 6 

Teachers Bring Out Our Best

Washington, D.C. - Behind every one of us, there's at least one extraordinary teacher. More than 47 million children in public schools today will one day point to a particular caring and talented teacher who inspired, challenged, nurtured and coaxed the very best out of them. Every day, but especially on May 6, National Teacher Day, we honor and recognize the lasting contributions of all those dedicated teachers with celebrations nationwide.

"Simply put, teachers are our everyday heroes," says National Education Association (NEA) President Reg Weaver. "Teachers are the caring individuals who do their very best to make it possible for all students to be successful, thereby becoming productive citizens of society. On National Teacher Day May 6, let these special professionals know what they mean to you."

National Teacher Day started in 1953 when Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress to proclaim the day. With continued lobbying by the NEA, the honor became permanent in the 1980s and now takes place annually on the first Tuesday of May. The theme for the 2003 celebration could not be more appropriate, "Bring Out the Best: Teach!"

"Few other professions touch so many people in such a critical way, making it one of the most rewarding, intellectually challenging and creative careers around," Weaver adds. As he travels around the country, Weaver always makes a point of encouraging students and mid-career professionals to consider a career in teaching.

Many regions continue to face a teacher shortage. Urban and rural public schools, in particular, have difficulty attracting highly qualified, experienced teachers. All schools suffer a critical shortage of male teachers and teachers of color.

More than one-third of today's public school students are of color. By 2025, at least half will represent minority groups, but only 13 percent of teachers are of color. In fact, several states face decreasing diversity in the teacher workforce as talented minority professionals head to better paying, more highly respected professions.

Just as problematic, of every four teachers of grade and high school students, only one is male--just 26 percent of the nation's three million teachers. A scant nine percent of elementary school teachers are men.

The lack of role models for boys and positive male figures for girls is so severe that NEA has made a recruitment drive of male teachers one of its priorities.

"As an African American student in 1950's America, my teachers taught me an invaluable lesson," Weaver notes. "Yes, they taught me reading, math, and Spanish. But they also taught me that I could excel. Inspired by them, I became a teacher myself for over 30 years and now I serve as president of the nation's largest professional employee association. When was the last time your work provided you the opportunity to so dramatically and positively change a child's life?"

For further background or to learn how to become a teacher yourself, visit NEA's National Teacher Day web site. NEA President Reg Weaver's Education Week column on this topic is also posted on the web.

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The National Education Association is the nation’s largest professional employee organization, representing 2.7 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators, and students preparing to become teachers.