Mark Dayton: “Recently I invited Minnesotans to honor their favorite teachers. The response was overwhelming. Over 4,000 Minnesotans…”

“Recently I invited Minnesotans to honor their favorite teachers. The response was overwhelming. Over 4,000 Minnesotans nominated their favorite teachers. Many teachers were nominated more than once. Current students nominated present teachers. Older Minnesotans nominated teachers from years, even decades, ago. Many of the honored teachers are still actively teaching; others are now retired; some have passed away. I wish there was time here and space in the Congressional Record to read all of the words of admiration and gratitude, which accompanied those 4,000 nominations. They were truly heartwarming. Very successful adults credited special teachers with turning their lives around; helping them to recognize their undiscovered talents, or sparking interests which led to their successful careers. The specific details varied but the conclusions were the same. Those teachers made huge differences in the lives of their students. They saved lives. They made lives. They taught more than their subjects. They taught ways of thinking, ways of being. They taught study skills and the value of hard work. They helped boys and girls; young women and young men to find themselves, to believe in themselves, and to better themselves. They helped young dreamers learn how to live out those dreams and how to make them life-enhancing realities. We do too little to credit and honor the many teachers--dedicated men and women--who perform these human miracles for our children.…”