I would either be dead or in prison.

With everything going on at home, school became a place where I could be a kid when outside of school I really couldn't. Today on Teacher Appreciation Day, I want to share with you just how deep my appreciation is for teachers. If I didn’t have Mr. Osterweil as a teacher, I would either be dead or in prison. Let me tell you a bit more… After my mom passed away when I was 8, I lived with my father who was suffering from undiagnosed Alzheimer’s disease. With everything going on at home, school became a place where I could be a kid when outside of school I really couldn't. Mr. Osterweil, my fourth through sixth grade public school teacher, made that possible. He made school a safe, supportive, and engaging place. He showed us a world beyond our neighborhood, transforming our classroom into a space for self-expression and, sometimes, a Shakespearean stage. He was so deeply invested in all of the students, and the impact he made in my life during such a difficult period is really why I became a teacher myself. It was because of teachers like Mr. Osterweil who changed the trajectory of my childhood that I went on to become a high school social studies teacher, a principal, and the 10th U.S. Secretary of Education under President Obama. In these roles, I tried to do for others what my teachers had done for me. Now, I’m running for governor of Maryland with an educator’s perspective guiding my vision to build a brighter, more equitable state. All students deserve to have a teacher like Mr. Osterweil and experience the transformative power of public institutions, and as governor I will fight to support our teachers and public schools with the resources to empower all Marylanders. If you believe it’s time we had a teacher for governor, I hope you’ll consider supporting our campaign with a donation today. [DONATE]( This Teacher Appreciation Week, I want to thank all of the teachers who are providing constant support to their students. If there is a teacher that has impacted your life, I invite you to thank them today! — John King --------------------------------------------------------------- Paid for by John King for Governor, Eliza Leighton, Treasurer John King for Governor PO Box 8429 Silver Spring, MD 20907 United States [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [CONTRIBUTE TODAY]( [CONTRIBUTE MONTHLY]( If you would like to learn more about John King's historic campaign for Maryland governor, text PROGRESS to 48178 or visit our [website](. By providing your mobile phone number you consent to receive recurring text messages from John King for Governor. Message & Data Rates May Apply. Text HELP for Info. Text STOP to opt out. No purchase necessary. If you would prefer to not get updates from the campaign, please [unsubscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}