IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 351 
Congratulating and honoring Rodney Robinson on receiving the 2019 National 
Teacher of the Year Award. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 2, 2019 
Mr. MCEACHIN (for himself, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. GRIFFITH, 
Mr. 
BEYER, 
Mr. 
CLINE, 
Mrs. 
LURIA, 
Mr. 
RIGGLEMAN, 
Ms. 
SPANBERGER, and Ms. WEXTON) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Education and Labor 
RESOLUTION 
Congratulating and honoring Rodney Robinson on receiving 
the 2019 National Teacher of the Year Award. 
Whereas, on April 24, 2019, Rodney Robinson was named 
National Teacher of the Year by the Council of Chief 
State School Officers; 
Whereas Rodney Robinson is a social studies teacher at 
Virgie Binford Education Center inside the Richmond 
Juvenile Detention Center; 
Whereas since he began teaching at Virgie Binford Education 
Center in 2015, Mr. Robinson has worked with disadvan-
taged youth, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, 
and confidence necessary to move forward and accom-
plish their goals; 
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•HRES 351 IH 
Whereas Mr. Robinson’s work to help our most vulnerable 
students achieve educational excellence has improved the 
academic performance of countless students, strength-
ening reading proficiency and working to ensure students 
graduate on time; 
Whereas Mr. Robinson helps disadvantaged youth realize 
their full potential by boosting self-esteem and creating 
a nurturing, safe, and inclusive environment where every 
student is encouraged to discuss the issues in their com-
munities and past; 
Whereas Mr. Robinson inspires his students to overcome 
their challenges and achieve their dreams by adorning the 
barren walls of Virgie Binford Education Center with col-
lege pennants and photos of inspirational historical fig-
ures; 
Whereas Mr. Robinson is quoted as saying, ‘‘My kids have 
overcome some tremendous odds and been through some 
traumatic, horrific circumstances, yet they still triumph, 
they still have dreams, they will want to be doctors and 
lawyers and everything you can [think] of . . . Helping 
kids channel all that energy and dreams into something 
positive where they can see an outcome and a result, that 
is what I love most about teaching.’’; 
Whereas while attending the Yale National Initiative, Mr. 
Robinson developed his own student-focused curriculum 
for his social studies classes, empowering students to ad-
vocate for societal change by exploring social justice 
issues, the history of the United States prison system, 
the effects of racial segregation, and more; 
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•HRES 351 IH 
Whereas Mr. Robinson was inspired to become a teacher by 
his mother and has been teaching in Richmond, Virginia, 
for over 19 years; 
Whereas Mr. Robinson received his bachelor’s degree in his-
tory from Virginia State University and his master’s de-
gree in educational administration and supervision from 
Virginia Commonwealth University; 
Whereas prior to teaching at Virgie Binford Education Cen-
ter, Mr. Robinson taught at several other schools in the 
greater Richmond area, including Lucille Brown Middle 
School, George Wythe High School, and Armstrong High 
School; 
Whereas Mr. Robinson is the first teacher from Richmond 
Public Schools to receive this prestigious award, and just 
the third in the history of the Commonwealth of Virginia; 
Whereas Mr. Robinson was selected for this award from 
among 57 award-winning teachers out of the more than 
3.6 million teachers nationally; 
Whereas, as Teacher of the Year, Mr. Robinson will travel 
the country for the next year to advocate for ‘‘economic 
and cultural equity’’, seeking to ensure that all students 
have the resources necessary to be successful and work-
ing to increase the number of teachers of color in public 
school systems; 
Whereas teachers are indispensable mentors in our society; 
and 
Whereas the continued and future success of America is inti-
mately dependent on the vital work of the Nation’s edu-
cators: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
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•HRES 351 IH 
(1) congratulates and honors Rodney Robinson 
on receiving the 2019 National Teacher of the Year 
Award; 
(2) celebrates all four finalists for the National 
Teacher of the Year Award for their remarkable 
service and commitment to America’s youth; and 
(3) respectfully requests that the Clerk of the 
House of Representatives transmits an enrolled copy 
of this resolution to— 
(A) Rodney Robinson, the recipient of the 
2019 National Teacher of the Year Award; and 
(B) Jason Kamras, the Superintendent of 
Richmond Public Schools. 
Æ 
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