Article Summary –
Leon Smith, Pennsylvania’s newly named Teacher of the Year, emphasizes the importance of minority representation in education, motivated by his own experiences of not having teachers who looked like him while growing up. Smith’s platform seeks to increase the number of teachers of color in Pennsylvania, a state where nearly half of public schools lack any teachers of color, by advocating for better support and resources for these educators. He further highlights the necessity of understanding the history of racism in education and supporting initiatives to reduce educational costs for aspiring minority teachers, while also emphasizing the importance of allowing educators of color to teach about race and racism despite opposition from some political figures.
Leon Smith, recently named Pennsylvania’s Teacher of the Year, always aspired to be an educator. Growing up with teacher parents, including his mother who served Philadelphia schools for over 50 years, Smith was inspired to show children that teachers can look like them.
Smith experienced a lack of role models during his education in Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery County, stating, “I never had a teacher that looked like me.” Motivated by this, he chose to become a teacher so others wouldn’t face the same experience.
In his 22-year career at Haverford Township School District, Smith has taught ninth-grade honors and Advanced Placement Social Studies, as well as African American studies for grades 10 through 12 at Haverford High School.
Interim Secretary of Education Angela Fitterer announced on Dec. 9 that Smith is the 2025 Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year, recognizing his dedication and impact on students and the community, as noted in a press release.
Smith was one of 12 finalists out of 660 nominations for this award, co-sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the National Network of State Teachers of the Year.
In 2025, Smith will travel across the state to connect with educators and participate in the National Teacher of the Year program. He aims to increase the number of educators of color in Pennsylvania, where nearly half of public schools lack such representation, as highlighted in a 2022 Research for Action publication.
In his acceptance speech, Smith emphasized that fewer than 7% of teachers in Pennsylvania are people of color, contrasting with the 38% of students who are. He stressed the significance of representation, recalling the impact of a Black male student teacher during his childhood.
Smith advocates for a thorough understanding of the history of racism in education to support future educators of color. He noted the job losses Black educators faced post-Brown v. Board of Education, as documented by Chalkbeat.
The ongoing racial wealth gap hinders Black individuals’ access to education degrees, contributing to the low 6% representation of Black teachers nationwide, according to a 2023 National Center for Education Statistics report.
Smith praised Governor Josh Shapiro for securing funding for student teacher stipends and highlighted the importance of connecting and supporting educators of color. He also stressed the need for educators to teach about their communities’ histories despite efforts by some lawmakers to limit such discussions.
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