Retired junior and high school English teacher Rita Hart served her community in the Iowa State Senate. Photo credit: Rita Hart.
Many fine classroom teachers also become successful politicians. One of these is Rita Hart, a retired junior and high school English teacher who also served in the Iowa State Senate.
Rita was born on May 5, 1956, in Charles City, Iowa. Her parents owned a dairy farm. As a young woman, she earned her Associate of Arts degree from North Iowa Area Community College. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa and her Master’s degree from the University of Iowa.
Once she completed her education, Rita inaugurated her career as a public school teacher in the Bennett Community School in Bennett, Iowa. She taught junior and high school English for two decades at rural high schools in Eastern Iowa.
In 2012, Rita was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent Iowa state’s 49th Senate District. She was one of the rare politicians who enjoyed bi-partisan support. She served in her state’s Senate from 2013 to 2019. While there, Rita served on the Committees for Education; Veterans Affairs; Local Government; and Agriculture. She also served on the Early Childhood Iowa State Board; the Human Rights Board; and the Prevention of Disabilities Policy Council.
In addition to her work as a teacher and politician, Rita has worked as an international exchange coordinator at the Education First Foundation for Foreign Study. She also became Director of Community Relations at Pangaea International Academy in 2019. She also serves her community as a liaison for the Keep Iowa Beautiful branch of Hometown Pride Committees. And as if all that were not enough, Rita is also a talented singer, being in demand as a soloist for weddings, funerals, and other events.
Today, Rita, who is now 65 years old, lives with her husband on her family’s farm in Wheatland, Iowa. To learn more about this chalkboard Champion, click on this link to the University of Iowa Archives of Women’s Political Communication.
