'National Teacher Of The Year' From Boston Honored By President Trump
WASHINGTON (CBS/AP) – President Donald Trump recognized a Boston school teacher in the Oval Office on Wednesday.
Sydney Chaffee was named the National Teacher of the Year last week. She teaches ninth grade humanities at the Codman Academy Charter Public School in Dorchester, which Trump mentioned is a "nice place by the way."
"Sydney is the first teacher from Massachusetts to win the award and the first from a public charter school, that is really something special," Trump said.
Eye On Education: National Teacher Of The Year Described As A Force Of Nature
Charter schools are publicly funded but privately operated, and Trump supports creating more of them.
"Sydney, we'd like to congratulate you on this tremendous achievement," Trump said. "There is nothing more important than being a teacher, and certainly a great teacher."
Teachers from all 50 states attended the White House ceremony. The teachers' visit coincided with first lady Melania Trump's 47th birthday and she joined the president and Education Secretary DeVos for the event.
As National Teacher of the Year, Chaffee will travel the country speaking at education conferences and sharing her success with other teachers in the classroom.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)