Governor Proclaims Teacher Appreciation Week and Teacher Appreciation Day 2023

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s children are the future of our state, and teachers are essential to the success of that future; and

WHEREAS, teachers open students’ minds to ideas, knowledge, and opportunities and can change the lives of millions of children every day; having an effective teacher is the most important in-school factor for student success and their work has a lasting impact that extends far beyond the classroom; and

WHEREAS, teachers are essential to empowering families and communities to support our children and contribute to the growth and progress of our state; and

WHEREAS, our state is only as strong as our students’ ability to reach their academic potential, an impossible goal without the diligence, patience, and dedication of every teacher in every classroom in North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina is facing a teacher pipeline crisis, jeopardizing the education entitled to children across the state; educators deserve to be paid like the professionals they are, and we must make strong investments in our teachers to secure a strong future for our state for generations to come; and

WHEREAS, Governor Cooper proposed an 18 percent raise in teacher pay for fiscal years 2023 – 25, which would bring North Carolina average teacher pay to first in the Southeast; and

WHEREAS, we recognize teachers’ countless sacrifices and hours spent planning, counseling, instructing, coaching, evaluating, and caring for their students in and outside the classroom; and

WHEREAS, National Teacher Day was first celebrated by congressional declaration in March of 1980, and was moved and extended to the first full week of May by the National PTA and NEA Representative Assembly in 1985; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina joins in honoring teachers and will continue our commitment to support our teachers and school system today and every day;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim May 8 – 12, 2023, as “TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK” and May 9, 2023, as “TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.