They also sought meaning. Why had the impossible happened?
鈥淒o I feel down? No. Do I feel sad? Yes,鈥� Ms. Futrell said. 鈥淏ut I don鈥檛 think Christa鈥檚 personality would allow you to stay down 鈥� I think of her as a very positive, very outgoing kind of person.鈥�
Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers, called Ms. McAuliffe a 鈥渟ymbol of hope and optimism for teachers and students around the nation. She represented her two million colleagues with great distinction, and as fellow teachers, we were enormously proud of her.鈥�
The House and Senate unanimously adopted a resolution expressing 鈥渟orrow and regret鈥� over the fate of the Challenger mission.
Senator John Glenn of Ohio said, 鈥淥ccasionally, our judgments, the things we do are not perfect. Sometimes, triumph is accompanied by tragedy. We hoped to push this day back forever, but that was not meant to be. So the tragedy is not for our space program, but for all Americans who share a sense of loss.鈥�
Secretary of Education William J. Bennett, as Mr. Reagan had, addressed the nation鈥檚 schoolchildren. 鈥淭his is a very sad day for all of us. You should be proud of Christa McAuliffe, one of your teachers, and of the other brave Americans who were willing to take a great risk for the good of our country,鈥� he said.
The National Science Teachers Association, which coordinates student activities associated with the shuttle program for NASA, is encouraging teachers to use the lessons prepared by Ms. McAuliffe 鈥渨ithout the benefit of space assistance,鈥� said Bill G. Aldridge, executive director of the N.S.T.A.
The Council of Chief State School Officers, which helped select the first teachernaut, expressed 鈥渟hock and grief.鈥� The group, which had urged students to leave porch lights on to celebrate Ms. McAuliffe鈥檚 classes from space, now asks 鈥渆veryone鈥� to turn on a light in conjunction with any national commemoration.
