U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan will participate in a TEACH Town Hall at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md at 1:10 p.m. Tuesday, May 17. Duncan will be joined by Congressman Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Maryland Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, Bowie State President Dr. Mickey Burnim, other local leaders, educators, and students from Prince George's County Public Schools. The event will honor teachers and the work that they do to increase student achievement. During the event, Duncan will highlight TEACH, the Department's national teacher recruitment campaign aimed at recruiting the next generation of high-quality teachers to join those already in the classroom. The event will be streamed live on USTREAM at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/education-department.
The TEACH campaign encourages more minorities, especially males, to pursue careers in the classroom. Nationwide, more than 35 percent of public school students are African American or Hispanic, but less than 15 percent of teachers are Black or Latino. Less than two percent of our nation's teachers are African American males.
To learn more about the TEACH campaign and to view public service announcements (PSAs) by public figures and celebrities, visit www.TEACH.gov. The site provides information and resources for students and prospective teachers—including a new interactive "pathway to teaching" tool designed to help individuals chart their course to becoming a teacher. Currently, there are 3,000 vacant jobs posted on this Web site and, over the course of the last six months, more than 22,000 jobs have been posted, many of which have been filled.