Talented English teacher Linda Baker, now retired, also served in the Maine State Senate. Photo Credit: Linda Baker

Very often, talented educators make equally talented politicians. This is the case with Linda Baker, a high school English teacher who also served in the Maine State Senate.

Linda was born in 1948.  She graduated from the University of Southern Maine. In 2001, she qualified for the prestigious National Board Teacher Certification. Her career as an educator has spanned 31 years. Linda taught in public schools in Bath, Maine, from 1980 to 1985, and at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham, Maine, from 1985 to 2011. She taught English, creative writing, and history. For five years she served as the Academic Coordinator at Mt. Ararat. In addition, she spent ten years working for Merrymeeting Adult Education. Today, she teaches an adult education course through the University College at Bath and Brunswick.

Linda inaugurated her career in local politics when she was elected to serve as a Selectwoman on the Topsham Town Council, where she served three years. In addition, she served eight years on the Topsham Finance Committee. In 2014, she was elected on the Republican ticket to represent District 23 in the Maine State Senate, a position she held for two years. While there, Linda served as the Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Marine Resources and as a member of the Joint Standing Committee on Insurance and Financial Services. During her tenure in the Maine State Senate, Linda sponsored a bill that would dock the pay of legislators that had a history of absenteeism. She also initiated legislation that would require school administrators to complete fifty hours of direct student instruction to renew their credential. And she was honored by Maine’s League of Conservation Voters for co-sponsoring the Kids Safe Products Act, a bipartisan bill which dealt with toxic chemicals.

In 2002, this Chalkboard Champion was honored with the World of Children Award given by the Girl Scouts of America. She still lives in Topsham, Maine.