NEA Logo Featured on 'The West Wing'

If you saw "The West Wing" on October 2, 2002, you may have noticed the National Education Association's logo and slogan, "Making Public Schools Great for Every Child," prominently featured as a backdrop for a speech by President Josiah Bartlet.

In the episode, President Bartlet calls for more teachers and better funded public schools, a message that the NEA and WEAC support because quality educators who teach in well-equipped classrooms are a formula for student success.

NEA Communications worked with the staff of "The West Wing" earlier this year in preparation for the show.

Excerpts from "The West Wing" - October 2, 2002

President Bartlet (addressing NEA delegates at a meeting in Michigan):

"Joy cometh in the morning," scripture tells us. I hope so. I don't know if life would be worth living it didn't happen. And I don't yet know who set off the bomb at Kennison State. I don't know if it was one person or ten and I don't know what they want. All I know for sure, all I know for certain, is that they weren't born wanting to do this. There's evil in the world, there'll always be, and we can't do anything about that.

"But there's violence in our schools-too much mayhem in our culture-and we can do something about that. There's not enough character and discipline and depth in our classrooms, there aren't enough teachers in our classrooms, there isn't nearly enough, not nearly enough, not nearly enough money in our classrooms and we can do something about that.

"We're not doing nearly enough, not nearly enough to teach our children well and we can do better and we must do better and we will do better and we will start this moment today.

"They weren't born wanting to do this."

Posted October 4, 2002