A graduate of the Cleveland-area school where he鈥檚 taught for 25 years, Russell still works to pull together an annual basketball tournament and festival in Oberlin 鈥� the experience that convinced him it was a 鈥渏oy鈥� to work with high school students.聽

鈥淗e just commands the best out of you when you鈥檙e tired and you feel like you can’t do anymore,鈥� said senior Caleb Peterson, who has had 鈥淩uss鈥� as a teacher every year since ninth grade and is taking three of his courses this year. He also played basketball freshman and sophomore year. 鈥淭he lessons he鈥檚 taught me on the court or in the classroom will stick in my heart.鈥�

On Tuesday, the Council of Chief State School Officers named Russell the 2022 National Teacher of the Year. Students and staff, wearing the school鈥檚 red, white and blue colors, gathered early at the school for a watch party. When the announcement came, just after 8 a.m Eastern on , 鈥渢he whole auditorium lit up,鈥� Peterson said.

Teaching American history with a focus on the Black experience 鈥� at a time of intense national scrutiny over how educators discuss race and discrimination 鈥� the veteran educator plans to focus his year as the nation鈥檚 top teacher on breaking down barriers in education.

聽鈥淚 would like to focus on diversity and making sure students receive a well-rounded educational experience,鈥� said Russell, adding that he鈥檒l advocate for girls to pursue聽STEM fields and more men teaching in the early grades.

He was inspired to go into education when he had a Black male teacher, Larry Thomas, for eighth grade math. 鈥淐ulturally I could relate to him,鈥� Russell said. 鈥� His family migrated from the South. My family migrated from the South. Some of the discussion I had in class was personal to me.鈥�

Russell turned that connection to his cultural roots into a career, teaching U.S. History and electives on race, oppression and Black music that are among the school鈥檚 most popular courses. When he鈥檚 teaching, his booming voice carries down the hallways. 

鈥淗e puts his entire heart into his students and they are very engaged in his lesson,鈥� said Denita Tolbert-Brown, a business teacher at the school who has worked with Russell for 24 years. 

Peterson, who is weighing offers from Temple University in Philadelphia and Clark Atlanta University, said even though reading doesn鈥檛 鈥済rasp鈥� him like it used to, Russell has sparked his interest in books about racial history.

鈥淣o matter what I end up doing, I want to have the same impact,鈥� he said about his favorite teacher and former coach. 鈥淚 want to try to be like him and excel and inspire people.鈥�

Russell feels fortunate that he鈥檚 been able to work in a 鈥減rogressive鈥� district where he hasn鈥檛 faced backlash from the community over teaching about racial and gender discrimination. Parents, he said, have been 鈥渁ccepting.鈥� That鈥檚 in contrast to Republican lawmakers in his state, who have introduced three bills to restrict lessons on so-called 鈥渄ivisive鈥� topics. would also limit references to gender identity and sexual orientation.

Even so, broader opposition, combined with the impact of the pandemic, has left many colleagues feeling worn down.

鈥淔or me, it’s just the idea of respect,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f someone visits a doctor and the doctor prescribes the medication, we don鈥檛 think twice about that. In education, teachers are not trusted. Politicians are telling teachers what we can or can鈥檛 teach.鈥�

CCSSO鈥檚 choice of Russell as the winner 鈥渄oes bring a perspective that could add to the conversation both in Ohio and across the country,鈥� said Anton Schulzki, president of the National Council for the Social Studies. 鈥淏ut that will be up to him to decide how to use his voice.鈥�

Bills like those proposed in Ohio are 鈥渟caring鈥� people out of the profession, said Jeff Wensing, vice president of the Ohio Education Association.

鈥淲e are looking at a time where students are really not considering the education profession,鈥� he said, adding that Russell鈥檚 most important contribution over the next year could be to spark interest in the education field among young Black men. 鈥淲e need more teachers of color. Students need to see people like themselves standing in front of them as educators.鈥澛�