How our nation’s teachers contribute to our democracy

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Today we celebrate the birth of our country! In contemplating the importance of this day, I am reminded of the role our nation’s many Chalkboard Champions have played throughout history to preserve and perpetuate the freedoms we all enjoy.

Classroom educators teach our children about our nation’s rich heritage, our history, and our system of government. They lead children in the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance daily. They guide students in the creation of hand-traced turkeys at Thanksgiving. They teach them the words and music to our patriotic songs. They design lessons about the accomplishments of our presidents and social reformers such as political activist Martin Luther King and labor leader Cesar Chavez. They remind students of the contributions of our veterans. They organize patriotic festivities throughout the year. Our teachers even educate our kids about our failures so that we can become a better democracy.

And let’s not forget that many of our nation’s courageous teachers have become, themselves, a part of our country’s rich and varied historical record. There are many fine examples. Think of Olive Mann Isbell, the Ohio teacher who was one of many pioneers who established a school in the Wild West frontier. Remember Christa McAuliffe, the New Hampshire history teacher who became the first educator in space. Think of Henry Alvin Cameron, the Tennessee science teacher who sacrificed his life for freedom in the WWI Battle of the Argonne Forest. Appreciate Robert Parris Moses, the New York City math teacher who played a pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960’s. Think of Carrie Chapman Catt, the Iowa teacher who dedicated her life to earning the right to vote for women. Consider Zitkala-Sa, the South Dakota teacher who worked to secure the vote for Native Americans.

From sea to shining sea, there are thousands of teachers in our nation’s history who have made contributions to our society in large ways or quiet ways as veterans, activists, and supporters of our democracy. We thank them all for the freedoms we celebrate today.

You can read about some of these heroic teachers in my first book, Chalkboard Champions, or in my second book, Chalkboard Heroes, both available on amazon.

Clarissa Allen of South Carolina: Educator and acclaimed novelist

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Clarissa Minnie Thompson Allen of South Carolina: Educator and acclaimed novelist.

Many fine educators have also earned acclaim in fields outside of the classroom. One of these is Clarissa Allen, a teacher who made a name for herself as an author.

Clarissa Minnie Thompson Allen was born October 1, 1859, in Columbia, South Carolina. She was the eldest of nine children born to prosperous African American parents. Her father was a justice of the peace and a state legislator. As a young girl, Clarissa attended Howard Junior High School and then South Carolina State Normal School. There she gained the education required to become a teacher.

As an educator, Clarissa worked first at the Howard School. She then accepted a position as the principal of Poplar Grove School in Abbeville, South Carolina. She next taught at Allen University, where she instructed courses in algebra, Latin, history, and geology. In 1886, Clarissa moved to Jefferson, Texas, where she became a public school teacher. Later she taught public school in Fort Worth. In every position, she emphasized the importance of education for women and for the African American community.

In addition to her responsibilities in the classroom, Clarissa wrote novels about wealthy African American families in the South. Her most acclaimed novel was Treading the Winepress, which had also been published under the title A Mountain of Misfortune. The book was published in installments in the Boston Advocate. The 41 stories which comprise the book feature a setting called Capitolia, which was based on her home town of Columbia. Clarissa also wrote novelettes for publications based in Texas and poetry that was published in newspapers for the African American community.

Sadly, Clarissa passed away on November 23, 1941. To read more about the literary works of this amazing educator, see this link at the Milner Library of the University of Illinois.

French teacher and state legislator Judy Paradis of Maine

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French teacher and state legislator Judy Paradis of Maine.

There are many fine educators who have also achieved success in the world of politics. One of these is Judy Paradis, a French teacher in Maine who also served in both her state’s House of Representatives and the Senate.

Judy was born on January 17, 1944, in St. Agatha, Aroostook County,  Maine. Her parents were French Canadians. As a young girl, Judy learned to speak both English and Acadian French fluently.

After completing her secondary education in the Catholic-sponsored Saint Agathe Schools with the Daughters of Wisdom, Judy earned her degree in French at the University of Maine, Fort Kent, in 1969. The school honored her with an Outstanding Alumni Award in 1995.

Judy inaugurated her 14-year career as a politician in 1986. It was then that she was elected on the Democratic ticked to represent Madawaska in the Maine House of Representatives. She served there from 1986 to 1992. She represented her home town in the Maine State Senate from 1992 to 1994. For her work in the legislature, Judy garnered a Toll Fellowship from the National Council of State Legislatures. In addition, she earned the Maine Education Association Medal of Honor for her successful battle to secure tenure rights for all teachers in the state.

Once she left the legislature, Judy accepted a position as a French teacher at Wisdom Middle and High School. Wisdom Middle and High School opened in the Fall, 1965. The school was named in honor of the Daughters of Wisdom, who opened the first public schools and were the first teachers to be hired by the town of St. Agathe in 1905. The sisters taught in the St. Agatha schools until 1973 when the last nun left. Judy also taught French courses at Madawaska High School. Madawaska is a public secondary school that serves students from the towns of Madawaska, Saint David, and Grand Isle. Adult education programs are also taught there.

For her tireless work as an educator and as a legislator, Judy was inducted into the Maine Women’s Hall of Fame in 2005. To read more about this Chalkboard Champion, click on this link to the article published about her on the website for the University of Maine, Augusta.

Third grade teacher Lynette Stant named 2020 Arizona Teacher of the Year

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Third grade teacher Lynette Stant of the Salt River Reservation named 2020 Arizona Teacher of the Year. (Photo credit: Allen Patrou of Raising Arizona Kids Magazine.)

I love to tell stories about talented educators who have earned accolades for their dedication and hard work in the classroom. One of these is Lynette Stant, a third grade teacher from Arizona who has been named her sate’s 2020 Teacher of the Year. She is the first Native American teacher to earn the top educator honor in Arizona, according to the Arizona Educational Foundation.

Lynette, a Navajo, is a member of the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. She was raised in Tuba City on the Navajo Reservation. Both her parents attended Federal boarding schools. “It is not a secret that education of Native peoples is one drenched in historical trauma,” Lynette asserts. “As a Navajo woman, teaching in a Native American school, teaching Native American students, my goal is to change that narrative,” she declares. Lynette believes passionately that schools should be a reflection of a student’s culture and family.

The honored educator teaches third grade at Salt River Elementary School. The school was established as Salt River Day School in 1934. The facility was built by Phoenix Indian School students and funded by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Currently, Salt River offers grades K-6, as well as a FACE Program, an early childhood and parental involvement literacy program. The school is controlled by the tribe and funded by a grant from the Bureau of Indian Education. Enrollment is approximately 380.

To read more about Lynette, see this article printed by Raising Arizona Kids.

Texas Band Director Mike Westbrook succumbs to coronavirus

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Beloved Texas Band Director Mike Westbrook succumbed to the coronavirus on March 26, 2020.

Sadly, the coronavirus has claimed the life of yet another beloved educator. Mike Westbrook, a teacher, administrator, and Director of Bands at Hardin Jefferson High School in Sour Lake, Texas. At the time of his passing on March 26, he was 54 years old.

Mike was born on February 6, 1966, in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, Texas. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Music from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, in 1990. While there, the respected musician participated in Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi. In 2005, Mike completed the requirements for his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, also from Lamar University.

After his college graduation, Mike inaugurated his career as a music educator at Lumberton Independent School District (ISD), where he worked from 1994 to 2002. He also served as the Assistant Principal there. After eight years, Mike accepted a position at Port Neches Groves, where he worked for three years as the school’s Band Director. Since 2007, Mike served as the Director of Bands at Hardin-Jefferson High School in Hardin County, Texas. In total, Mike’s career in educator has spanned 30 years.

“I worked with him when I was the Assistant Principal at Hardin-Jefferson for eight years,” expressed Gretchen Scoggins, Communications Director at Lumberton ISD. “Every day with Mike – he is a hilarious bubbly personality, who absolutely adores kids,” she recalled.

In addition to his work as a music educator, Mike also logged in 30 years as a trumpet player in the Symphony of Southeast Texas. He also played with the horn band Eazy and the Spindletop Brass Quintet. In addition to the trumpet, Mike could play all woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments. He volunteered regularly at activities sponsored by the Texas Music Education Association (TMEA) at the local, area, and state levels.

To read Mike’s obituary, click on this link at Broussard’s Mortuary.