Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

English teacher Linda Baker also served in Maine State Senate

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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.

Retired teacher and politician Chandler Woodcock of Maine

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Chandler Woodcock Photo Credit: National Fish Coalition

Many excellent educators are also successful politicians. A superb example of this is Chandler E. Woodcock, a high school English teacher and basketball coach who has also served his community as a state senator in Maine from 2000 to 2006.

Chandler was born in Mechanic Falls, Maine, and was raised in nearby Farmington. His father was a manager at the Forster Manufacturing Company. Both of Chandler’s parents served in the military during World War II; his father in the Army Air Corps and his mother in the US Marines.

During his boyhood, Chandler was elected president of his class several times.After he graduated from high school, he enlisted in the US Army and served a tour of duty during the Viet Nam War. When he returned from Viet Nam, Chandler enrolled in the University of Maine at Farmington, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Secondary bio2[1]Education. He then taught English for over 25 years in the public school system, serving at Livermore Falls High School, Mt. Blue High School, and the Skowhegan Area High School. At each school, this talented teacher served as the basketball coach, and he even led the Mt. Blue High School girls’ varsity team to two state championships.

“His teams were always excellent as far as sportsmanship, but they were very, very competitive,” commented former Bangor coach Tom Tennet. “Chandler wants to beat you, and I think you could see that in how hard Chandler’s teams played. I think it was a reflection on him,” Tennet continued.

In adition to his teaching career, Chandler served five years on the Board of Selectment in Farmington, one of those years as the Chairman of the Board, before being elected to the Maine State Senate in 2000. During his first term, the former educator served on the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee and the Legal and Veterans’ Affairs Committee. During his second term, he served as Assistant Senate Republican Leader and on the Judiciary Committee.

In January, 2009, Chandler became the executive director of the Maine Harness Horsemen’s Association. With State Representative Tom Saviello of Wilton, Chandler is also the co-host of a public-access television talk show on Mt. Blue Community Access TV entitled “Talkin’ Maine with the Bow Tie Boys.” Both Chandler and his co-host are known locally for wearing bow ties.

Job well done, Chandler.

CA Social Studies teacher Lois Volk also a successful politician

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Former Social Studies teacher Lois Wolk also served in the California State Assembly and the California State Senate. Photo credit: State of California.

Many excellent educators also enjoy careers as successful politicians. This is the case with Lois Wolk, a secondary school Social Studies teacher who has also served in both the California State Assembly and the California State Senate.

Lois was born on May 12, 1946, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She earned her Bachelor’s degree at Antioch College in 1968 and her Master’s degree from the School of International Studies at Johns Hopkins University in 1971.

Once she earned her degrees, Lois inaugurated her teaching career. She has taught history, Social Studies, and French in both public and private schools. She taught first at the Edmund Burke School, and, from 1979 to 198,1 she taught in the Davis Joint Unified School District.

Lois launched her career in politics when she was elected a member of the Davis City Council. Her tenure there spanned the years 1990 to 1998. Twice she was elected Mayor of Davis: 1992 to 1994 and 1996 to 1998. Next, she served as a member of the Yolo County Board of Supervisors. In 2002, Lois was elected on the Democratic ticket to the California State Assembly. She served there representing the 8th Assembly District from 2002 to 2008. While there, she was a member of the Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Communications. Next, she was elected to the California State Senate, where she represented the 5th Senate District from 2008 to 2012 and then the 3rd Senate District from 2008 to 2016. While there she served on the Committee for Aging and Long-Term Care; Budget and Fiscal Review; and Agriculture. Also, as a Jewish woman, she was a member of the California Legislative Jewish Caucus.

In addition to her work as a legislator, Lois belongs to a number of important organizations, including the California County Boards of Education (2013); the Child Abuse Prevention Council (2013); the Rotary Club; and Soroptimist International.

Lois has also earned a number of prestigious awards, including the John Muir Heritage Award (2015); the Legislator of the Year Award from the California County Boards of Education (2013); the Legislator of the Year Award from the Child Abuse Prevention Council (2013); and the Robin Jenkins Memorial Award from Solano Partnership Against Violence (2011).

At age 75, Lois continues to live in Davis, California, with her husband, Bruce Wolk. The couple has two sons.

Retired teacher Joseph Miro served in the Delaware House of Reps

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Retired Spanish teacher Joseph Miro also served in the Delaware State House of Representatives. Photo Credit: open states.org

It should be no surprise that very often remarkable educators branch out into other spheres of endeavor. Such is the case with veteran teacher Joseph Miro, who served nearly 20 years in the Delaware State House of Representatives.

Joseph Miro was born on July 15, 1946, in Matanzas, Cuba. He immigrated to the United States at the age of 13, one of more than 14,000 unaccompanied children who fled the Communist regime of Fidel Castro between 1960 and 1962 as a part of Operation Pedro Pan.

He graduated with his Bachelor’s degree in 1970 from Lincoln University, and immediately accepted a position as a Spanish teacher in the Wilmington School District in Wilmington, Delaware. Later he transferred to the Christina School District, also in Wilmington, where he taught Spanish at Newark High School. He completed his Master’s degree at West Chester University in 1975. After a thirty-year career, Joseph retired from the teaching profession in 2001.

Multi-talented, in 1998 Joseph was elected on the Republican ticket to represent the 22nd District in the Delaware State House of Representatives, where he served until 2018. The Cuban American served there as a member of the Legislative Committees for Education; Appropriations; Health and Human Development; and Joint Finance. Prior to his election to the State House of Representatives, Joseph served on New Castle County Council from 1992 to 1998.

English teacher Nathan Anderson serves in Nevada State Assembly

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High school English teacher Natha Anderson also serves in the Nevada State Assembly. Photo Credit: votenatha.com

Many hardworking educators also make successful politicians. One example of this is Natha Anderson, a Nevada English teacher who also serves in her state’s Assembly.

Natha was born in 1972 in Reno, Nevada. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Nevada at Reno.

Once she earned her degree, Natha worked as a high school English teacher. She inaugurated her career at her alma mater, Edward C. Reed High School located in Sparks, Nevada, and later moved on to Vaughn Middle School in Reno. She also became part of the opening staff of North Valleys High School in Reno. In the two decades Natha has worked as an educator, she has taught English, Advanced Placement English, and Leadership.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Natha has served as the President of the Washoe Education Association. She has also completed stints as a local Director of the National Education Association, a Board Member of the Nevada State Education Association, as a member of the Board of Directors for Truckee Meadows Tomorrow, and as a Board Member of the WCSD Education Alliance.

In 2020, Natha was elected on the Democratic ticket to represent the 30th District in the Nevada State Assembly. She assumed office on Nov. 4, 2020. Her current term ends on Nov. 9, 2022. In the State Legislature, she serves on three committees: Government Affairs, Natural Resources, and Revenue. In addition, she vigorously advocates for public education, pushing for more funding for educators and working as a strong advocate for building and repairing schools. Other issues that are important to Natha are mental health care, criminal justice reform, and climate change.

To learn more about this remarkable teacher and legislator, see her website at VoteNatha.com.