By TEA Executive Director Terrance J. Gibson

As Tennessee educators return to classrooms, campuses, and school buses, the excitement of a new school year meets the strength of your purpose. There is no profession more rooted in hope, no calling more powerful than shaping the minds and hearts of our students—Tennessee’s future.

Across the state, you show up each day—not just to teach reading or science or to maintain clean buildings and safe hallways—but to nurture citizens, future leaders, and thriving communities. You are doing the work that strengthens democracy, builds economic opportunity, and weaves together the fabric of our society.

This work is especially vital now. We begin the year amid continued efforts to weaken public education through harmful policies, underfunding, and political interference. These are real challenges. But so is your resolve.

For more than 160 years, TEA members have stood strong through every challenge—and we’re standing strong still. We believe in the promise of public education to open doors of opportunity for every child, regardless of zip code. We believe in its role in preparing students to engage thoughtfully in democracy, its ability to build a skilled workforce, and its power to foster understanding across differences. Above all, we believe public education is essential to shaping a stronger future for our communities, our state, and our nation.

These aren’t just lofty ideals. They’re the reasons many of us chose this profession. Now, more than ever, it’s time to reconnect with our “why.”

A new school year brings fresh faces, new possibilities, and renewed purpose. But let’s be honest: it also brings obstacles. There will be days when the political noise is loud, budgets are tight, and your energy is running low. On those days, I hope you remember the words of Edgar Guest in his timeless poem “Don’t Quit”: “When care is pressing you down a bit /Rest if you must—but don’t you quit.”

Because your presence matters. To your students. To your school. To our shared future.

At TEA, we don’t just honor your work; we walk beside you in it. We are the only organization that follows you wherever you go: across classrooms, campuses, and career changes. We are your armor when rights are at risk, your community when support is needed, and your advocate at every level of decision-making.

This year, let’s build on our strength:

• Welcome new colleagues and invite them into TEA.
• Connect with local leaders to bring professional learning to your school.
• Stay informed—and speak up for what’s right.
• Celebrate your impact, because your work builds Tennessee’s future every day.

You are not alone in this. Our collective strength keeps public education not just alive but thriving.

As you step into this school year, know that TEA sees your sacrifice, honors your commitment, and shares your belief in public education. We’ve got your back—today, tomorrow, and always.

So, let’s teach boldly, advocate fiercely, and lead with purpose. And when it gets hard, rest if you must, but don’t you quit.