[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 66 (Wednesday, May 5, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3148-H3150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the
resolution (H. Res. 1312) recognizing the roles and contributions of
America's teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic,
cultural, and economic well-being, as amended.
The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
The text of the resolution is as follows:
H. Res. 1312
Whereas education and knowledge are the foundation of
America's current and future strength;
Whereas teachers and other education staff have earned and
deserve the respect of their students and communities for
their selfless dedication to community service and the future
of our Nation's children;
Whereas the purpose of ``National Teacher Appreciation
Week'', held during May 3, 2010, through May 7, 2010, is to
raise public awareness of the unquantifiable contributions of
teachers and to promote greater respect and understanding for
the teaching profession; and
Whereas students, schools, communities, and a number of
organizations representing educators are hosting teacher
appreciation events in recognition of ``National Teacher
Appreciation Week'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives thanks teachers
and promotes the profession of teaching by encouraging
students, parents, school administrators, and public
officials to participate in teacher appreciation events
during ``National Teacher Appreciation Week''.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Ms. McCollum). Pursuant to the rule, the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr.
Bishop) each will control 20 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from California.
General Leave
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I request 5 legislative days during which
Members may revise and extend and insert extraneous material on House
Resolution 1312 into the Record.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentlewoman from California?
There was no objection.
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I might
consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the important role teachers
play in the education of our Nation. This week, May 3 through 7, we
celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week. The National PTA created
this week in 1984 to show gratitude to the approximately 3.2 million
teachers in the United States, and to thank them for contributing to
the civic, cultural, and economic well-being of our Nation. This
National Teacher Appreciation Week is a chance for us to recognize the
selflessness and dedication that teachers show to our children every
day.
We know that having teachers is integral to the educational outcomes
of our Nation's youth. Research tells us that teacher quality accounts
for the majority of variance in student achievement. Highly qualified
teachers serve as excellent role models and instill a love for
knowledge and lifelong learning in our students. They also shape
tomorrow's leaders and prepare America's diverse student population
with the skills it needs to compete in the 21st century workforce.
Teaching is a skilled practice. Teachers reflect on their lessons and
modify instruction to reach the broad range of needs of their students
in their classrooms. Quality teachers hone their skills and are experts
not only in their subject matter, but also at connecting with young
people and making learning come alive. Teaching is a dynamic
profession, and educators must continuously engage in quality
professional development in order to sharpen their techniques and
increase their own knowledge.
Unfortunately, research has shown us the negative effects of teacher
shortages. With the economic downturn, we have seen too many States
turn to teacher layoffs to address budget deficits. Additionally, over
the next 4
[[Page H3149]]
years more than a third of the Nation's 3.2 million teachers may
retire. It is imperative that schools and communities continue to
support our teachers if we are to educate our children to not only
compete, but to lead and innovate in the 21st century economy.
I would like to extend my congratulations to the 2010 National
Teacher of the Year, Ms. Sarah Brown Wessling, an English teacher at
Johnston High School in Johnston, Iowa. Ms. Wessling teaches 10th
through 12th graders at Johnston High, and is recognized for her
innovative, learner-centered teaching methods, and her passion for
quality instruction. We recognize Ms. Wessling's hard work and the
example she sets for our Nation's teachers.
Madam Speaker, once again I express my support for National Teacher
Appreciation Week. I encourage everyone to take a moment and to reflect
on a motivational teacher that helped you realize your potential and
reach your dreams. I want to thank Representative Graves for bringing
this resolution to the floor, and I urge my colleagues to pass this
resolution.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
I rise today in support of House Resolution 1312, and also mention a
conflict of interest since I did spend 28 years as a public school
teacher before I joined this august body here. This resolution
recognizes the roles and contributions of America's teachers in
building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and economic well-
being, and supporting National Teacher Appreciation Week.
Teachers provide one of the greatest services to our youth, which is
education. Educators bear the responsibility of teaching the next
generation, and, apart from parents, are one of the primary sources of
knowledge and values of our kids. In today's challenging learning
environment, teachers provide more than economic leadership. Teachers
plan and organize classroom activities, they assess student
performance, they understand the basic needs of students, they
encourage them to improve, working closely with parents as they relate
to students' performance and discipline, they motivate students,
encourage them to participate in extracurricular activities, they make
the highways safe, and entertain the community on Friday nights.
Showing teachers appreciation and recognition during the upcoming
National Teacher Appreciation Week is a terrific act of gratitude that
reminds us of how important teachers are, and reminds us of what an
integral role they play in our lives.
Teachers today devote time to professional development, their own
education, and on class preparation outside the classroom. Most
teachers spend much longer than the official school day working on
teaching duties, and often spend their own money to meet the needs of
their students. Teachers make these time, energy, and monetary
commitments, and they deserve recognition for such.
Today we also recognize the importance of having well-trained,
dedicated, and skilled teachers in schools. We honor all teachers who
have made a difference by preparing tomorrow's leaders.
I also want to thank my colleague from Missouri (Mr. Graves) for
introducing this resolution, unfortunately 7 years after I retired, but
introducing it nonetheless. I ask for your support.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Linda T. Sanchez).
Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California. I would like to thank my
colleague.
Madam Speaker, I rise in recognition of National Teacher Appreciation
Week. This is a time to honor teachers for the positive impact they
make in our lives. I thank the gentleman from Missouri for introducing
this legislation.
Teachers fill many roles. They inspire students to set and reach
goals. They are role models, motivators, and mentors. Most importantly,
they help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to
understand the world and to become a productive part of it. They work
with limited resources to ensure that our students receive a quality
education.
There are so many teachers in my district who work hard to open
students' minds to ideas, knowledge, and dreams, but today I want to
mention just three:
Julie Wright, who teaches first grade at Gardenhill Elementary School
in La Mirada. Recently, Ms. Wright was nominated Teacher of the Year.
Outside of the classroom, she invests her time in the local community
by participating in the PTA and the Girl Scouts.
Pattie Blasnick is a special day class teacher at Ada S. Nelson
Elementary School. Because of her patience and dedication to her
special needs students, she was selected as the Los Nietos Teacher of
the Year for 2009-2010.
Juvenal Martinez is a sixth grade teacher at Aeolian School who was
recently honored for outstanding service in education and agriculture
because of his commitment to increasing student and community knowledge
about agriculture, horticulture, and nutrition.
I encourage everyone to take a moment to let a special teacher know
how much they touched your life.
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I
reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I
may consume.
Obviously, this is an issue that is very dear to my heart at the same
time, as I know full well how dedicated teachers are in putting in of
their own time and their own effort to make their classrooms a success.
And it is one of those particular areas in which they need to be
recognized.
It would be nice if we could recognize them in other ways that are
more substantial and maybe monetarily more satisfying, but at least to
recognize the fact that teachers do put of themselves and give of
themselves in an effort to try and deal and work with the future
generations. That is one of those things that cannot be ever
underestimated or underidentified.
So I appreciate the fact that this time, which is called National
Teacher Appreciation Week, an entity that was started by the PTA, is
indeed one of those elements that we should take the time to recognize
the significant factor, the significant effort that all the teachers
make in not only our public schools but our private schools as well,
and indeed you can probably expand this in some particular way to
extend to those who are teaching at home, which means our parents are
teachers in and of themselves. They too need to be recognized for the
commitment they make to our students. It is an important effort. It is
an important entity.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Ms. CHU. As a teacher who was in the classroom for 20 years myself, I
deeply appreciate this resolution. And it is a very timely one,
especially as we go into reauthorization of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I would like to yield such time as
he may consume to the sponsor of this particular resolution, the
gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves).
Mr. GRAVES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res.
1312, a resolution recognizing the significant contributions of our
Nation's teachers. I want to thank Chairman Miller and Ranking Member
Kline for allowing this measure to come to the House floor today. I
also want to thank Representative Guthrie and my many colleagues who
have joined me as original cosponsors in moving forward this important
tribute.
The goal of H. Res. 1312 is to promote the profession of teaching and
honor those who enter into it. There are other jobs with better pay,
shorter hours, and oftentimes less hassle than teaching. However, each
year thousands of college graduates choose teaching as a profession.
And it in no small part is a result of the impact their own teachers
had on them.
In addition, I urge my colleagues to take part in National Teacher
Appreciation Week, held from May 3 to May 7. It is designed to provide
a means for students, parents, and the entire community to come
together and participate in events and activities that show our
appreciation for teachers and their selfless dedication to community
service and the future of our Nation's children.
[[Page H3150]]
In closing, I once again thank my colleagues for taking the time
today to recognize the profession of teaching, and encourage the strong
support of this resolution.
Ms. RICHARDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res.
1312, a resolution celebrating the roles and contributions of America's
teachers to building and enhancing our Nation's civic, cultural, and
economic well-being. On National Teacher Day, thousands of communities
and schools take time to honor their local educators and acknowledge
the crucial role that teachers play in making sure that quality
education is a right for every student, not a privilege for some.
I strongly support this resolution because I believe that we in
Congress must do our part to thank those teachers who have dedicated
their lives to providing a quality education for all students,
regardless of socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, gender, or
religion. We trust our teachers with our Nation's most precious asset--
our children--and we must pause to thank them for the seriousness with
which they take that charge.
In my district alone, there are thousands of teachers working hard
every single day to make sure that the students in Long Beach, Carson,
Compton, Signal Hill, and Watts develop a love of life-long learning
and that they have the tools and the knowledge they need to succeed in
school and in life. Teachers do more than just teach; they also help
build communities. They foster a sense of school community and they
bring learning to the neighborhoods and communities that surround our
schools. The NEA has asked that on National Teacher Day this year we do
more than just pay lip service to our teachers. Better than an apple or
a thank you card, a community's active support of the work that
educators do to teach and care for the community's students would be
ample reward.
But our recognition and support should not stop there. Many States
have announced this year that they will solve their budget crises by
laying off thousands of teachers and staff from our public schools. For
example, in my home city of Long Beach, more than 1,000 teachers,
counselors and social workers were formally notified in March that they
may lose their jobs at the end of this school year. I was particularly
upset by this news because Long Beach Unified School District is one of
the best urban school districts in the country. It was awarded the
prestigious Broad Prize for excellence in Urban Education in 2003, and
it has been nominated for the prize four times since the prize's
inception in 2002. The last thing we should do is lay off our Nation's
teachers, particularly in places such as Long Beach Unified School
District where the teachers and staff are out-performing other schools
throughout the country. We should celebrate and recognize those
teachers and schools that are excelling, and use them as the model for
how to improve teachers and schools that are struggling to meet their
standards.
We are facing one of the worst economic downturns in our country's
history and I know that we must make tough choices about where to
invest our scarce resources. However, our children are our future and
without a proper, high-quality education they will not have the tools
they need to succeed. I believe we must honor the commitment our
teachers have made to our children by finding ways to balance states'
budgets that do not result in widespread layoffs for public school
educators and staff. Education is a civil right and we in Congress must
do our part to protect that right for all children in all communities
around the country.
I applaud our Nation's teachers for their dedication to educating our
most valued population in this country--our children. Without high-
quality teachers in all schools, many of our children would be at a
great disadvantage academically. Our teachers, particularly those who
dedicate their lives to teaching in underserved communities, do their
part to ensure that all children have the tools they need to succeed
every day in school and to contribute to society's future. I ask my
fellow colleagues to join me in supporting H. Res. 1312.
Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today in
support of H. Res. 1312 to recognize the roles and contributions of
America's teachers in building and enhancing our Nation's civic,
cultural, and economic well-being.
Education is the backbone of our society, and perhaps Thomas
Jefferson summed it up best when he said, ``Whenever the people are
well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government.'' Simply
put, the ability for our society to function and our democracy to work
properly is dependent on a well-educated and informed electorate.
Because of this, teachers play such a pivotal and vital role in our
society, and it is important that we recognize their contributions to
the future of our country.
This year, May 3-7 is teacher appreciation week, and I am proud to
honor our teachers during this time. In Dallas, we have some of the
best students and educators in the country, and I am incredibly proud
of the work our teachers do to enhance the lives of our young people.
The sacrifices they make are truly extraordinary, and I commend them on
their efforts.
Madam Speaker, I ask my fellow colleagues to join me today in
recognizing our teachers and supporting this resolution. Truly our
teachers work tirelessly for our children, and by so doing, they are
giving America a brighter future.
{time} 1215
Mr. BISHOP of Utah. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my
time.
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I urge passage of House Resolution 1312, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu) that the House suspend the rules
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1312, as amended.
The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.
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