Teacher, Author,
10th U.S. Secretary of Education
John B. King Jr. bio
John B. King Jr. served in President Barack Obama’s cabinet as the tenth U.S. Secretary of Education. Over the course of his extensive and influential career in public education, he has been a high school social studies teacher, a middle school principal, the first African American and Puerto Rican to serve as New York State Education Commissioner, a college professor, and the president and CEO of the Education Trust, a national education civil rights organization.
King is currently the chancellor of the State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive system of public higher education. Both of King’s parents were career New York City public school educators.
He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife, an education researcher and former teacher, and his two daughters.
To book John for a speaking engagement, please email info@teacherbyteacher.com.
a Note from John
As we look ahead to Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4–8, 2026), I want to take a moment to recognize and thank teachers everywhere for the care, dedication, and belief you bring to your students each day. Your work shapes lives and strengthens communities in ways that are often unseen, but deeply felt.
Teacher by Teacher is, at its heart, a tribute to educators like you. It reflects my own journey—from navigating loss and uncertainty as a young person to finding hope and direction through the teachers who saw something in me and refused to give up. Because of them, I was able to move forward, and dedicate my life to supporting young people in the same way they supported me.
This week, and every week, thank you for all that you give—to your students, your schools, and your communities. Your impact is lasting, and it matters more than words can fully express.
With gratitude,
John
Press
The Musicality of Learning & the Cacophony of State-Sponsored Ignorance
Prevail with Greg Olear
Teachers Saved My Life. Why Do We Treat Them So Poorly?
The New York Times Opinion
John King reflects on the teachers who saved his life in new memoir
CBS Mornings with Gayle King
Former US Secretary of Education John B. King Jr.
All Sides with Amy Juravich
Why Public Education Needs Your Voice NOW with John B. King Jr.
Leading Equity Podcast
Teacher By Teacher
The Brian Lehrer Show
The 11th Hour
The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle
The Real Cost of Dismantling Public Education with former U.S. Secretary of Education, John B. King
Smart People Podcast
If you had a teacher who changed your life, ‘find that person, tell that person’
USA Today | Opinion, Larry Strauss
How Good Teachers Can Improve the U.S. Education System
CBS News
Education with John King Jr.
Talk Nerdy Podcast
John B. King, Jr. with Kim Mazzuca - Teacher By Teacher | Conversations with Authors
Livestream Event
Teacher by Teacher with John King
The Authority Podcast
Every Child’s Potential, Every Teacher’s Power with John B. King Jr.
Ground Control Parenting
Obama Ed. Sec. John King: Teachers Can’t Be Bombarded With Reforms
EducationWeek
John B. King Jr.
The 1a NPR
What Comes After the Abolishment of the Department of Education
The Realignment Podcast
Teaching, Power, and Policy with John B. King Jr., Former US Secretary of Education (part 1)
Teach Me, Teacher:
USA Today’s Best-selling Booklist
USA Today
Dr. John King Jr.: Supporting Learning for All
The LDA Podcast
