Quinta Brunson—the writer, producer, comedian and actor behind the breakout hit Abbott Elementary—called for higher salaries for teachers to applause at the TIME100 Gala Wednesday evening. “I play a teacher on TV, but every day I wonder if I’d be strong enough to be one in real life,” Brunson said. “You all deserve to be paid more!”
Brunson praised teachers in a brief toast at the Gala after appearing on the 2022 TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people. Brunson’s ABC show is about teachers at a Philadelphia public school. It premiered last year and garnered critical praise for highlighting public education and the uphill battle of teaching at underfunded schools—all while being refreshingly funny.
That humor shined through in Brunson’s toast. As she listed the challenges teachers face, she mentioned the “big babies” teachers deal with: the ones who don’t do their work, who start fights and who make the teachers’ jobs harder. “And I’m not talking about their students. I’m talking about politicians,” Brunson added, to laughs.
Brunson spoke out about the immense influence that teachers have on students and the many hats teachers have to wear. Her own former middle school teacher, Ms. Abbott, inspired the name—and spirit—of the show.
“Your job is vital, immense and crucial. We say it in my program: Abbott Elementary, many of you are not only teachers but social workers, second parents and sometimes first,” Brunson said. “You’re incredible.”
Brunson gave a toast to Ms. Abbott at the end. She thanked her mother and many other teachers for being positive in her life. She concluded by calling for the toast to teachers and echoing her previous assertion: “May you one day make more money than me.”
Returning after two years on pause, the TIME100 Gala is TIME’s annual celebration of the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people, released this year on May 23. Gala participants include icons, leaders, change-makers and celebrities across all sectors and countries for an evening full of laughter and conversation. This year’s Gala features live performances from Miranda Lambert and Mary J. Blige, two honorees on the 2022 TIME100 list. Further attendees from this year’s list include actors Andrew Garfield, Ariana DeBose, and Amanda Seyfried, musicians Jazmine Sullivan, Jon Batiste, and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, athlete Eileen Gu, director Taika Waititi, and legal activist Chase Strangio,
TIME and ABC are teaming up to offer viewers a unique television experience: the TIME100 Gala. TIME100: The World’s Most Influential People airs Sunday, June 12, 2008 at 8 PM EDT (ABC)The show features Simu Liu as host, Sevgil Muzieva, a Ukrainian journalist, and many other guests.
Read the full text of Brunson’s toast at the TIME100 Gala:
What kind of creator of a show about teachers would I be if I didn’t make my toast about teachers? I’d be a bad one, the answer is really bad.
Deciding to toast to teachers wasn’t hard and yes, because of the reasons you all are thinking. They worked through a pandemic in person and on zoom and on Zoloft I’m assuming, because how? They deal with Big Babies who don’t do the work they’ve asked them to do and get into fights and make their jobs harder—and I’m not talking about their students. I’m talking about politicians.
Your children spend as much time with them as possible, often eight hours. Consider your child and the insane ways they behave. They yell, cry, and act out for no reason. Consider your child as twenty. Yeah—you’re picturing hell aren’t you. This is what teachers deal with. Teachers also help them learn how to read. All of them—most of them—how to read! No but seriously, I don’t get it. I play a teacher on TV, but every day I wonder if I’d be strong enough to be one in real life.
Your all merit to get paid more. As such, tonight I will stand before many powerful people to express my support and help make that happen.
Your job can be vital, enormous and critical. As we say in my show, “Abbott Elementary,” many of you are not only teachers but social workers, second parents and sometimes first. You’re incredible.
Ms. Abbott, Thank you so much for confidence and the lesson in which our class made pretzels. I can’t prove it, but I’m pretty sure selling pretzels and selling TV shows correlate because I am good at both.
Mrs. Ruth, Thank you so much for making my hall have a seat. It was funny, silly, and forced me to reevaluate whether I had to use the toilet.
Ms. Casanas – Thank you for taking me on a journey with Frida Kallo, who taught me how to be the woman that I dreamed to be. And thank you for letting me show the class an obscure unknown movie called “Napoleon Dynamite” on movie day.
Mr. Vasquez: I’m sorry I never learned to speak fluent Spanish, but thank you for telling me I should join the Delta sorority in college. While I didn’t join, your belief that I could changed my life. This belief saved my life. I was a strong woman. And for that I’m grateful.
Mr. Connor: God I hate calculus. Boy, did you make me love calculus. Thank you for teaching me how to be a good person, but not about maths. not because you weren’t a good calculus teacher, but because I refused to learn it. It is stupid.
Ms. Oniel, Thank you for staying in touch via Facebook. You’re the only reason I still have an account. Thank you for being there for your students. You can be assured that I will soon take you to the Phillies games.
Umi and Mwongozi: I don’t know where to start. I am grateful that you taught me Black history so early in my life. You taught me that it was easier to understand who and where you came from.
And to my mom, my first teacher, my kindergarten teacher—thank you for everything. And although I didn’t follow in your footsteps and become a teacher, I hope my tv show proves how much I wanted to be just like you. Your love is contagious.
And now to all of the teachers of America—a toast! I wish you more wealth than mine!
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