Today is World Teachers’ Day, a day when we collectively celebrate and thank teachers for all they do to prepare the next generation of students and strengthen our communities in and out of the classroom. While this is something I try to do every day, today I’d like to tell you a bit about one particular teacher, without whom I would not be here today: Mr. Osterweil.

After my mom passed away when I was 8, I lived with my father who was suffering from undiagnosed Alzheimer’s disease. As he became sicker, home became increasingly inconsistent and scary, and I didn’t understand why. From one night to the next, I had no way of knowing what my father would be like or what to expect at home – would there be any food in the house? Would my father be sad or angry, or even violent? – so school became a place where I could be a kid when outside of school I really couldn't.

Mr. Osterweil, my fourth through sixth-grade teacher, made that possible. He made school a nurturing and engaging place, showing us a world beyond our neighborhood and transforming our classroom into a space for self-expression and, sometimes, a Shakespearean stage. He was so deeply invested in all of the students, and the impact he made in my life during such a difficult period is really why I became a teacher myself.

For many kids who experience trauma as I did, it is teachers like Mr. Osterweil who see more than just the sum of the obstacles they face but boundless potential. Especially as a young African-American and Latino student, I was fortunate to have teachers and mentors who instilled in me a sense of purpose, pride in where I came from, and hope for the future.

It was because of the very educators who changed the trajectory of my childhood and the foundation they provided me, that I went on to become a high school social studies teacher, a principal, and the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama.

Now, I’m running for governor of Maryland with an educator’s perspective guiding my vision to build a brighter, more equitable state. All students deserve to have a teacher like Mr. Osterweil and experience the transformative power of public institutions, and as governor, I will fight to support our teachers and public schools with the resources to empower all Marylanders.

If you believe it’s time we had an educator for governor, I hope you’ll consider supporting our campaign with a donation today.

Thank you for reading and happy World Teachers’ Day,
John

P.S. Is there a teacher who made a difference in your life? I’d love to hear about it! Text TEACHER to 443-434-4997 to share your story with our campaign or tell us about it on Twitter using the hashtag #MyEducationStory.