Teacher Tom Niermann bids for seat in US Congress representing Kansas.
Many teachers dedicate their boundless energy and talent to improving America’s social conditions, and this is often accomplished through public service. So it’s no surprise that in today’s political climate, educators are running for office in record numbers. One such educator is Tom Niermann, a high school social studies teacher from Prairie Village, Kansas, who is campaigning for a seat in the US Congress.
Tom was born in Wichita, Kansas, one of three sons born to working class parents. His father was a minister and his mother was a music teacher. Majoring in history, he earned his Bachelor’s degree at Valparaiso University, his Master’s degree at Wichita State University, and his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas.
In a career that has spanned 26 years, Tom has always demonstrated a keen interest in politics, but this is his first bid for public office. The current political climate inspired his run. “I’ve always told my students that our freedoms come at a price,” Tom expressed, “and that price is participation. If we don’t participate, we witness the slow erosion of our democracy.”
Two of Tom’s goals are improving the economy and making health care more affordable. “People often say it’s so refreshing to have someone run for office who knows what it’s like for working families, people who are working as hard as they can, following the rules and still finding it really hard to make ends meet,” says Tom. And he has lived the struggle. There was a time when he had to hold down three jobs in order to pay his bills. During the day, he taught American and world history at the high school. After school, he hauled furniture. Nights and weekends, he instructed courses at the local community college.
Tom is also dedicated to enacting legislation that addresses safety in school settings. “My first teaching jobs were at a psychiatric hospital and a juvenile detention center,” remembers Tom. “I went on to teach in the Wichita public school district, where I had students killed by gun violence, and even a gun brought into my classroom. I worked hard to improve my students’ lives outside the classroom, and help them resolve their conflicts non-violently. But it became clear to me that policymakers were failing my students, who faced incredible hardship at home, and expected few opportunities ahead of them.”
This accomplished educator has taught at Blue Valley West High School in Overland, Kansas, and also at Shawnee Mission East High School in his home town of Prairie Village, Kansas. He has also worked for Pembroke Hill School in Kansas City, Missouri. More than a thousand of Tom’s former students have volunteered to help with his campaign.
Learn more about Tom’s campaign at his website Niermann for Congress.com.
