Our public schools are much more than just academic institutions. Our schools are the places where our children learn some of life’s most fundamental skills and values, such as how to communicate, how to build friendships, and how to cooperate with others.   Our schools are also the place where children who lack solid foundations at home can go to find a mentor. And at the forefront of all of this are our teachers.  

Today’s teachers are confronted with challenges they’ve never had to deal with before. Many of our teachers are faced with the daunting task of teaching children with limited English skills, meeting the accountability standards of the No Child Left Behind Act, and keeping up-to-date on the latest advancements and technology.  

Yet with these new strains and demands on teachers, education funding continues to be cut. Teachers are still not getting paid what they deserve. We are still not providing nearly enough funding for Title I  programs, which give additional help to low-income children. Funding for Head Start is the lowest it’s been in years.  And the President’s budget for 2005 eliminates funding for Even Start and 37 other education programs, cutting education funding by $98 billion. 

A solid education system is the vehicle to paving a brighter future for America, and our teachers are the drivers. But in order to keep this vehicle running, we’ve got to keep it fueled.   

In honor of National Teacher Appreciation Week, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our hard-working educators for all that you do, and for the lasting contributions you make in our lives. I will continue to fight for education funding that our teachers and students deserve.