Across the country, teachers and supporters of public schools are joining together in unprecedented ways to ensure our schools receive the funding they need. During Teacher Appreciation Week, you can honor the meaningful work and activism of educators in our community by writing a letter to the editor to submit to your local newspaper.

We’ve provided talking points for you to use when composing your letter. Write in your voice and with your experience, share what’s at stake for schools and educators in your community, and convey why you appreciate teachers. We highly encourage you to personalize your letter and keep it short (under 200 words) to improve the chances of an editor accepting your letter. Click START WRITING to get started!

• During teacher appreciation week, we should give thanks to the amazing educators across the country and [IN MY STATE/REGION/CITY] standing together to better our public schools and improve the lives of so many children.
• Teachers are always there for our children. They get to school early and stay late. They work to ensure everyone from the straight-A student to the one struggling to get by receive the care, attention, and education they deserve. They dig into their own pockets to corral supplies for their classroom, yet often take second jobs to make ends meet. It’s a shame they struggle when they play such an important role in our children’s lives.
• Just as teachers inspire students in the classroom every day, the teachers taking action across the country inspire me as they stand up for dignity in the workplace. I’m in awe of the educators who walked off the job to do right by their students in states like West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Arizona, and Colorado.
• We all should be fed up with politicians putting classroom funding on a chopping block while giving massive tax breaks to corporations.
• Teachers [IN MY STATE/REGION/CITY deserve a fair return on their work and the resources to support their students.
• People across the country strongly support educators standing up and taking action for the funding our schools need.
• Our political leaders need to recognize what teachers contribute. It’s time they fund our public schools and provide teachers with the means to achieve high-quality education so every kid in our community can learn, grow and thrive.