Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Teacher Irma Dixon also served in the Maryland General Assembly

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Elementary teacher Irma George Dixon served in the Maryland General Assembly, one of the first two African American women to be elected to the body. Photo Credit: Maryland Archives

During Black History Month, we recognize the accomplishments of the many African American educators who have made significant contributions to our nation’s education system. One of these was Irma George Dixon, a public schoolteacher who was one of the first two African American women to be elected to the Maryland General Assembly.

Irma George was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1911, and she was raised there. After her graduation from public schools in her home city, she attended Coppin Normal School in Maryland before earning her Bachelor’s degree in English at Morgan State College, also located in Baltimore.

Once she earned her degree, Irma inaugurated her career as an educator in Baltimore public schools, where she taught elementary and junior high school for 15 years, from 1934 to 1949. After leaving the classroom, Irma married William B. Dixon and established a small business selling dresses from her home.

Always eager to better the life of others, in 1958, Irma decided to make a bid for public office. She was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent the Fourth District, which included the city of Baltimore, in the Maryland General Assembly. That same year, colleague Verda Freeman Welcome was also elected, and the two became the first African American women elected to the legislative body.

While in office, the former teacher was a strong advocate for education, proposing tax increases to pay for additional funding for education and advocating that school be compulsory beginning in kindergarten. She was also an advocate of equal pay for men and women, and in 1962 she sponsored a bill that proposed a ban on racial discrimination in private employment throughout her state.

In addition to her work in the legislature, Irma was involved in a number of advocacy groups, including the Baltimore Urban League, the NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women, the School Marms, and the YWCA. She also served as a legislative consultant to the Health Commission of the Maryland State Conference of Social Welfare.

Sadly, Irma Dixon passed away, while still in office, on June 30, 1965. Only 54 years old, she had been battling a lengthy illness. She is buried at Arbutus Memorial Park in Baltimore.

 

Maryland educator, politician, and civil rights activist Verda Welcome

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As part of our Black History Month celebration, we recognize Maryland’s Verda Welcome: Educator, politician, civil rights activist, and community activist. Photo Credit: Preservation Maryland Trust

During Black History Month, we celebrate the many African American teachers who have dedicated themselves to social and political causes outside of the classroom. One of these educators was Verda Welcome, a teacher, politician, civil rights activist, and community activist from the state of Maryland.

Verda was born on March 18, 1807, in Lake Lure, North Carolina.  She was one of 16 children of farmers John and Docia Freeman. As a young girl, Verda attended North Carolina and Delaware public schools. The young scholar always planned to pursue higher education. However, following the death of her mother in 1928, she found herself with limited financial resources to pursue her goal. Undaunted, she worked as a domestic during the day and attended school in the evening. Eventually she earned her high school diploma. “I had to make the daily sacrifices needed to keep my dreams intact,” Verda once declared.

In 1929, Verda moved to Baltimore to continue her education at Coppin Normal School. There she earned her teaching certificate in 1932. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in History from Morgan State College in 1939. She completed the requirements for her Master’s Degree from New York University in 1943. In her later years, Verda was awarded honorary doctorates from Howard University, Morgan University, and the University of Maryland.

During her youth, Verda learned first-hand that African Americans were often underpaid, under-educated, and underprivileged. She determined to make a positive impact in the Black community as an educator, and so she taught in the Baltimore City Public Schools for 11 years.

In 1959, the dedicated teacher was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates to represent the Fourth District. She was the first Black woman to achieve that distinction. Verda served as a delegate until 1962, when she was elected to the Maryland State Senate. She was America’s first African American female state senator.

Verda served in the Maryland State Senate until 1982. Between the State House and the State Senate, she devoted a total of 25 years of service in the legislature. Significant among her accomplishments there was the passage of legislation dealing with such issues as discrimination in public accommodations, equal pay for equal work, the harassment of welfare recipients, illegal employment practices, voter registration, the abolition of capital punishment, and reforms in the state’s correctional facilities.

For her many important achievements in the area of civil rights, this amazing educator was inducted into Maryland’s Women’s Hall of Fame in 1988. Verda was 83 years old when she passed away on April 22, 1990, in Baltimore.

To read more about this amazing Chalkboard Champion, see this article published in the Baltimore Sun.

Detroit teacher Regina Weiss elected to Michigan State House of Reps

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Former secondary level Social Studies and English teacher Regina Weiss of Detroit now serves in her state’s House of Representatives. Photo Credit: Michigan State House of Representatives

Many fine educators have also served their community in public office. One of these is Regina Weiss, a secondary level school teacher from Detroit, Michigan.

Regina was born in Chicago, Illinois. In 2009 she earned her Bachelor’s degree in History and Secondary Education from Valparaiso University, a private institution of higher learning located in Valparaiso, Indiana. She relocated to Detroit, where she accepted a position teaching Social Studies and English. She taught there for five years. She taught two and a half years at Pershing High School, and two and a half years she taught at Carstens Elementary-Middle School at Remus Robinson.

Reina inaugurated her career in public service when she was elected to be a member of the Oak Park City Council in 2017. In November, 2020, she was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Michigan State House of Representatives, where she has represented the 27th House District since Jan. 1, 2021. In November, 2022, following redistricting, Regina was re-elected to the House, this time representing the 6th District. There she serves as a member of the Jewish Democratic Caucus, and as the Chairperson of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid and Education. As Chairperson, Regina has declared that her committee will prioritize developing a system to fund school infrastructure improvements. “As a former educator, I’ve seen first-hand the impact decades of inadequate funding has had on our classrooms,” Regina says. “And that was even before the COVID-19 placed challenge after challenge before our students and teachers,” she continued.

To read more about Regina Weiss, click on this link to her Michigan State House webpage.

Science teacher Cheryl Turpin served in VA State House of Delegates

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Science teacher Cheryl Turpin, third from left, works with students at Cox High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She was elected to serve in her state’s House of Delegates. Photo Credit: Christine Organ

Many excellent educators have also served as capable politicians. One of these was Cheryl Turpin, a high school science teacher who has represented her community in the Virginia State House of Delegates.

Cheryl was born in 1963 in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Her father, who served 23 years in the military, eventually settled the family in Fairfax County, Virginia.

As a young woman, Cheryl earned her Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. She earned her Master’s degree in Education from the University of Virginia.

After earning her degrees, Cheryl taught science at the high school level in public schools in Virginia Beach. Currently she teaches Advanced Placement environmental Science at Frank W. Cox High School. She is also a participant in AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), a program that seeks to close the achievement gap by preparing minority students for college. For her exemplary work with students, Cheryl was nominated for Teacher of the Year by her fellow teachers at Cox High in 2016.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Cheryl has served as a Board Member for the Make a Difference Foundation, as Activities Coordinator for several school PTA’s, a Girl Scouts Troop Leader, a coach for the Neighborhood Soccer League, and a member of the Sierra Club.

In November of 2017, Cheryl was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent the 85th District, which includes Virginia Beach. She remained in office from Jan., 2018 to Jan., 2020. As a legislator, Cheryl sat on the Education Committee. She was an advocate for reducing mandated testing so that more time could be added back into classroom instruction. She also supported full-day public kindergarten for every child in Virginia, putting more resources into STEM education, and classroom technology for teachers. She was also committed to expanding economic opportunity for Virginians by increasing infrastructure spending, raising the minimum wage, creating an economic environment that encouraged small businesses, and expanding broadband access.

Former NYC English teacher Arlene Stringer was a trailblazer

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Former New York City English teacher Arlene Stringer was a trailblazer. She is pictured here reading to her grandson, Max. Photo credit New York Post

Many excellent classroom teachers have also served their communities as capable politicians. One of these was Arlene Stringer-Cuevas, a Jewish schoolteacher also served on the New York City Council.

Arlene was born Sept. 25, 1933. Her first husband was Ronald Stringer, an assistant to New York City Mayor Abraham Beame. When that marriage ended, Arlene raised her two boys in Washington Heights as a single mother. Once she earned her degrees, Arlene taught at a public school in the Bronx. She also instructed courses in English as a Second Language at the local Y.

Like many members of her family, Arlene expressed an interest in politics. She ran for and was elected as the District Leader for her Democratic Party, a trailblazing role she served in from 1969 to 1976. She was elected to the New York City Council, where she served from 1976 to 1977. In fact, she was the first woman to represent Washington Heights. “I used to follow her around to all her meetings,” remembers her son, Scott Stringer. “More than once, she was asked by some man in the room why she wasn’t home with her husband. In signature fashion, she’d respond, ‘I don’t have a husband,'” he continued. “And then she’d outsmart, out-humor, and simply outdo all of them—no matter what they were doing,” he concluded.  Later, Arlene worked for their New York City Human Resources Administration for 16 years, until her retirement in 1994.

In her final years, she was married to the former City Clerk and Deputy Bronx Borough President Carlos Cuevas. The two divided their time between New York City and Puerto Rico. Sadly, Arlene succumbed to Covid-19 on April 3, 2020. She was 86 years old. At the time of her passing, her son Scott Stringer was serving as New York City’s Comptroller.