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Viewpoint

Speaking to a rededication crowd at the National Memorial to Fallen
Educators, Carol Strickland, Executive Director Emeritus of the National
Teachers Hall of Fame, shares the history of the memorial.
Photo (left) courtesy of Mark Rumsey; used with permission.

distributed to the class, and one participant suddenly cried out, “Todd is here!
I didn’t think he would be remembered in this way.” Kim Paetzel, a Zeta
Gamma Chapter member of Texas State Organization, has worked for the
Tyler Independent School District for 30 years and remembers well the day
one of her colleagues and friends, Todd R. Henry, was murdered at the high
school by a student with special needs.
“I was surprised and grateful Todd was remembered,” Paetzel explained
after seeing that Henry was indeed memorialized on the wall for his sacrifice
in 2009. “I had no idea the memorial existed” (personal communication, Dec.
14, 2023).
Paetzel collected the memorabilia from the rededication, which had been shared at the Ignite seminar,
and brought it back to Henry’s family so they could see he was honored at the National Memorial to Fallen
Educators. She hopes to visit the site someday. “When you lose someone who was doing his passion, your
heart breaks,” Paetzel said. “Just to think about all those different educators who died is sad but inspiring.”

Alabama Bus Driver 2013
Charles “Chuck” Poland was driving a bus full of children in rural Alabama when an armed gunman
entered Poland’s bus and demanded two children as hostages on Jan. 29, 2013. Poland refused to
let him take the children, blocking access to the aisle of the bus, when the gunman shot Poland
five times. Eventually, all the children were rescued, but the dedicated bus driver was dead. He is
memorialized on the National Memorial to Fallen Educators.

2023 Rededication Details
Sadly, new names are added to the memorial each year. Sometimes the names are educators who
have died in the past year; other names from previous years are added as new stories of heroism and
tragedy are discovered, researched, and confirmed. In June 2023, 11 total names were added, including
6 from the immediate past year and 5 from earlier events. The
solemn ceremony is held, with white roses laid at the granite
base of the memorial for each new educator honored. A brief
description of each educator’s sacrifice is shared. In addition,
the current class of five inductees to the National Teacher Hall
of Fame presents a beautiful floral wreath.
In 2023, the 11 educators honored included a cafeteria
worker, bus driver, maintenance worker, crossing guard, coach,
substitute, headmaster, mechanic and two teachers. One had
been stabbed, four were run over, one died in a bus accident,

Pat Graff (right), National Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee 2006,
and Darryl Johnson, Natioanl Teacher Hall of Fame Inductee
2013, solemnly read the names and stories of the 11 educators
being added to the wall at the National Memorial to Fallen
Educators at the rededication ceremony in June 2023.
Photo (right) courtesy of Mark Rumsey; used with permission.

Collegial Exchange · 13