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George grew up in a rural farm community near Kinston, North Carolina where he learned at an early age the value of a great education. Today, he considers the poor quality of education that is being provided in our public schools to be the number one civil rights issue of the day. George is a certified teacher with 30 years of experience teaching high school and middle school math in low-performing schools in the Washington D.C. public school system.

The Washington Teachers' Union
George is the former president of the Washington Teachers' Union, elected to that post in 2005. During his tenure as president, George worked with Michelle Rhee to negotiate a groundbreaking collective bargaining agreement that featured innovations in teacher compensation, professional development and equity in classroom resources. The agreement was rooted in the shared belief that D.C. political and education leaders must significantly raise student achievement and increase teacher accountability, while respecting teachers as true professionals and providing them the technology and classroom resources needed to successfully teach all children.

His Work With StudentsFirst
As a Senior Fellow, George assists in training teachers to become education leaders within their schools. He also provides teachers guidance on how to engage other teachers in the education reform movement. George frequently serves as an expert witness in support of legislation aimed to improve teacher quality and elevate the teaching profession. He also engages community organizations and serves on panels across the country to discuss policies such as teacher and principal evaluations, seniority-based layoffs, and union reform.

Education
George received his Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from North Carolina Central University and earned a Master's in School Administration from Trinity University.