Justin Paul and his team won the Academy Award for the best song, “City of Stars,” in the movie “La-La Land.”
Justin gave a wonderful shout out to public education, where he said that “arts and culture were valued” and resourced, and he thanked his teachers.
He and his group are also responsible for the Broadway hit, “Dear Evan Hansen.”
Justin is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music, which is very proud of him.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I heard that – it warmed my heart!
I caught that moment too. Very nice! A tribute like that from a former student means the world to a teacher.
Let’s start a campaign where more celebrities, athletes, politicians etc. thank their public schools and teachers!
We also have to remember that DeVos is from the state of Michigan, so Justin Paul’s words meant even more. I
I let out a shout of joy when he thanked his public school teachers 🙂 !!
As the former coordinator of a Performing Arts Magnet in LAUSD, I was thrilled to hear this remark! Then, I looked around the audience wildly clapping their support and I realized, sadly, they didn’t send their children to public schools. I didn’t see any of their names on my wait list. It’s easy to be brave sitting in an audience with peers; it is much more difficult to send your precious son or daughter to the local neighborhood school.
Mahershala (sp.-?) Ali, Best Supporting Actor Winner for Moonlight (a must-see, which will rip your heart out), also thanked teachers, calling out four by name. They may have been college/theatre dept. teachers or outside acting teachers or perhaps high school
drama (I wasn’t clear), but he did, indeed, give a shout-out to his beloved teachers.
It was classy and heartwarming.
And, if you can read this, thank a teacher!
Teachers are the best! So happy teachers were acknowleged at the Oscars by movie stars. Makes my heart soar.
Here is one common man’s story about his teachers while in primary school.
Public school teachers saved my father from an abusive foster care situation. They fed him, clothed him, loved him, and got social services involved. Thankfully, my dear and most humble and grateful father was then taken in by the Salvation Army Orphanage. He thanked his teachers every day and instilled great respect for teachers in my 3 brothers and me. He left the orphanage at 16. He went back to school with 4 children and a full-time job and earned his high school diploma and graduated from from McKinley High School (In Honolulu from where two of my brothers graduated) in the year 1963, same year I graduated from high school.
My father’s story is a testament to our irreplaceable, and most wonderful public school teachers everywhere.
The common people from all walks of life need to tell their stories, too. Our stories matter.