Dina Martin, 650-552-5491
The state Legislature has proclaimed, today, Dec. 3, as Day of the Special Educator in appreciation of the contributions made by special educators, and has urged Californians to recognize the dedication and hard work of special educators. Sponsored by CARS+, the Organization for Special Educators, the date was chosen to follow the anniversary of the signing of the nation’s first federal special education law (the precursor of IDEA) on Dec. 2, 1975.
In recognition of the day, David A. Sanchez, president of the 325,000-member California Teachers Association, released this statement today: "On this second annual observation of Day of the Special Educator on Dec. 3, CTA salutes the thousands of teachers in California who provide a multitude of services to students with disabilities. These educators have devoted their career to serving our students with dignity, tolerance, compassion and rigor. They are talented teachers, dedicated paraprofessionals and passionate advocates for students with disabilities and have worked hard to make sure our classrooms and schools provide the environment necessary for all of our students to learn. We are all better off for their efforts.
###
The 325,000-member CTA is affiliated with the 3.2 million-member National Education Association.