Dr. Ernest Morrell, a legendary scholar in our field and multifaceted leader who helped pave the way for critical English education as a practice, passed away surrounded by family members on February 4. He was a member of NCTE for more than three decades, served as NCTE President in 2014, and directed the NCTE James R. Squire Office on Policy Research since 2020. His reputation as a scholar, as a mentor, and as a respected colleague is unparalleled.
Just this month Morrell shepherded a new series of policy research briefs toward completion and release from the James R. Squire Office, which is housed at the Center for Literacy Education (CLE) at the University of Notre Dame, where Morrell was the Coyle Professor of Literacy Education. In January, continuing a prolific career supporting English teachers and researchers, Morrell published Critical English Education: Enduring Voices, New Perspectives with NCTE and spearheaded a new book in development, Key Works in English Education.
NCTE bestowed upon Morrell the 2025 James R. Squire Award, a special honor given to a member who has had a transforming influence and has made a lasting intellectual contribution to the profession. Along with the Distinguished Service Award—which Morrell received in 2019—the James R. Squire Award is one of NCTE’s most distinguished honors. It is given, sparingly, by the NCTE Executive Committee in recognition of outstanding service—not only to the stature and development of this organization and the discipline which it represents, but also to the profession of education as a whole.
“When I first entered an English classroom as a teacher in 1993, I never imagined that my life in English would take me in so many directions or that I would be talking about accepting the Squire Award,” Morrell said at the time. “My research and teaching have always been driven by a desire to connect the discipline I love with the students and teachers I also love.”
Along with Executive Director Emily Kirkpatrick, NCTE President Antero Garcia—one of Morrell’s doctoral students and mentees—had the privilege of presenting him with the award in person in Chicago. Morrell was also recognized by his peers with multiple rounds of applause at the Awards Session at the 115th NCTE Annual Convention in Denver this past November.
“Both for me personally and for the field of education writ large, Ernest’s impact is nothing less than world-changing,” Garcia said. “With an unrelenting focus on making sure that teachers uplift the brilliance of every young person in every classroom, Ernest remade our teaching practices in ways that were more imaginative and caring. He imbued his work as a teacher, researcher, and leader with an unconditional love for students and teachers.”
Morrell delivered his Presidential address at the NCTE Annual Convention in Washington, DC, on November 23, 2014. The address traced the history of NCTE and its various “movements” before shifting to how the discipline could “move forward and address this multicultural America, not as a challenge but as our strength.” He recognized his parents, Ernest and Katherine Morrell, who had been teaching since the 1960s. He explored methods for developing powerful readers and writers by looking to “the classes of tomorrow today”—that is, the most wonderful teaching that was happening in classrooms—as models.
“Ernest’s scholarship transcends traditional silos to forcefully convey the essential value of language and humanities to create meaning, form relationships, and pursue possibilities of better futures,” Kirkpatrick said. “We are now entrusted to use his vision and scholarship to serve future generations of teachers and students. Ernest’s profound influence on the field will multiply, and his memory will live on at NCTE.”
In remarks and advice to first-time Annual Convention attendees in 2018, Morrell celebrated the dedication, character, and shared mission of NCTE members.
“There’s a lot that we’ll talk about [at the Convention] in terms of technical aspects of literacy instruction, but you have to remember it’s the impact you have on people’s lives through love that makes you special. Kids will remember you,” he said. “They will remember you and the impact you had on them. And for that, we thank you.”
Morrell’s influence includes being consistently listed since 2015 in Education Week’s RHSU Edu-Scholar Public Influence Rankings, clocking in at number 93 in 2026. The author of more than 100 articles, research briefs, and book chapters, as well as 15 scholarly books, Morrell celebrated the release this January of the highly anticipated title Critical English Education: Enduring Voices, New Perspectives. The book explores the last 60 years of research on critical English education and victories of the movement while charting a path forward for the future. It was the first volume to bring together key voices in this field for doctoral researchers in literacy, education, and English and English educators.
“There is no higher social calling, no work more honorable than teaching critical approaches to the consumption and production of language.”
—Ernest Morrell, “Critical English Education,” English Education, 37(4).
Led by Morrell, the book’s coeditors include Nicole Mirra, Garcia, Cati de los Ríos, and Jamila Lyiscott. Several of the authors discussed the process of writing the book and its significance to the field in an article in NCTE’s member magazine, The Council Chronicle. Morrell recently led the way for all book royalties to be donated to NCTE to continue the work of English education.
Morrell was inducted into the Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024, in the same class as the actor George Clooney, Apple CEO Tim Cook, University of Southern California President Carol L. Folt, and American Council on Education President and former US Undersecretary of Education Ted Mitchell.
Reflecting on the tremendous honor, Morrell said, “It has been an incredible journey so far, but there is so much left to be done.”
We express our limitless gratitude for Morrell’s service to NCTE and his invaluable contributions to literacy education and ELA teachers everywhere. It is our hope that NCTE may help to carry on his legacy, which has meant so much to so many in our community.