Overview

• President Biden honored Rebecka Peterson, the 2023 National Teacher of the Year, at the White House.
• Peterson is a calculus teacher in Tulsa, Oklahoma who raised her pass rate from 50% to 87%.
• Biden advocated for teacher raises and stronger gun laws while criticizing Republican education policies, book banning, and budget cuts.
• The American Library Association reported a 38% rise in book bans, with 2,571 books censored in 2022.
• Peterson introduced Biden as someone who understands teachers and spreads a message of belonging.