“In education, we have to look at the system. It isn’t providing what we need to build a real profession, to bring people in who should be there, to make sure that no one is allowed into a classroom if students until he or she is well-trained, certified, and licensed.”
President of the National Education Association since 2008, Dennis Van Roekel heads the nation’s largest union. A former math teacher, he is focused on restoring professionalism to teaching, setting high standards for entry into the profession, maintaining high standards of excellence, creating evaluation systems that improve practice, and establishing equity among schools.