Public Education Network Mourns the Loss of Sen. Ted Kennedy

Public Education Network mourns the loss of a great friend and champion for the cause of public education. America mourns the loss of one of its greatest leaders of all time.

Senator Kennedy worked tirelessly to ensure that the highest quality public education was available to all, with special attention to poor children, children of color, children with disabilities, children learning English, homeless children, and young people who could not otherwise afford higher education. He formed alliances with legislators of both political parties, and advocacy groups across the ideological spectrum, to effectively pass legislation that put children first and gave voice to those who had little voice.

Senator Kennedy often spoke of the importance of public education:
"To find our way to the future, we need the skills, the insight and the productivity of every American, in a nation in which each of us shares responsibility for the future and where the blessings of progress are shared fairly by all our citizens in return...We need a national education strategy to assure that America can advance, not retreat, in the global economy in the years ahead...We are past the point where we can afford only to talk the talk without walking the walk..."
-- National Press Club, January 2005

In 2008, at Public Education Network's 25th Anniversary conference, PEN inaugurated the Edward M. Kennedy National Award for Distinguished Policy Leadership in Public Education and made the first award to Senator Kennedy in honor and recognition of his unyielding support of public education, and his belief that every child deserves a quality public school and the opportunity to attend college. In subsequent years, the award will be bestowed upon policy makers who characterize the same talent, caring, passion, zeal, and commitment to public education as exemplified by Senator Kennedy. In a letter to PEN on her uncle's behalf, Rory Kennedy wrote, "My uncle is deeply honored by the creation of this award because it speaks to his deepest beliefs and commitments... No battle worth fighting is ever easy, but I and my family will be with you every step of the way."

We send our condolences to the senator's family, and to the American family who is the poorer for his passing.