RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Richmond City Public Schools decided to honor Rodney A. Robinson, who was named the National Teacher of the Year, with an annual district-wide award in his name.
The Rodney A. Robinson Equity in Education Award will be given to a “staff member who exemplifies excellence in equity and who has made extraordinary contributions in ensuring that all RPS students have an equal opportunity to succeed by being provided with the resources, standards, content,
and support they need to be prepared for college, career and service,” RPS said in a release.
Robinson, who has taught history at Virgie Binford Education Center, a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center, since 2015, was presented with the 2019 National Teacher of Year in April.
Following his win, Robinson met with President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Education Secretary Betsy Devos during a visit to the White House.
Related: RPS teacher Rodney Robinson praised by President Trump in oval office meeting
Robinson was presented with the inaugural award named in his honor Monday night. He spoke about his mission for equity in a room filled with city leaders, colleagues and friends.
“I stand here to represent equity in education,” Robinson said Monday. “Economic equity, and that is to ensure all students have funding to receive the services they need to be successful. I am also here to represent cultural equity so students have people who like them sound, look like them, and appreciate their culture, and show them they can be whatever they want to be.”
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