Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Teacher Sondra Erickson serves in Minnesota House of Reps

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Retired high school English teacher Sondra Erickson also serves in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Photo credit: www.sondraerickson.com.

Many excellent teachers achieve success in fields other than education. One of these is Sondra Erickson, a retired teacher who also served as a state legislator in the Minnesota State House of Representatives.

Sondra was born on March 2, 1942, in Ada, Minnesota. She was raised in Taft, North Dakota. She graduated from Hillsboro High School, and then from Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, earning her Bachelor’s degree in English in 1964. She attended graduate school at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, Minnesota, from 1968 to 1970.

After she earned her degrees, Sondra taught high school English at Princeton High School, a public school located in Princeton, Minnesota. Her career as an educator spanned 35 years.

Sondra was first elected to represent District 16A and 17A in the state legislature on the Republican ticket in 1998. She was re-elected in 2000, 2002, 2004, and 2006, and served until 2008. Since 2013, she has represented District 15A in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Sondra carried her interest in educational matters with her into her new position. She worked tirelessly on the Committees for Education Policy; Education Finance; Higher Education Finance and Policy; Ethics; and Taxes. In addition to her work in the legislature, the talented educator served on the Minnesota Board of Teaching from 1992 to 1997, bringing her “students first” philosophy to the table. Currently, Sondra says her focus is to open doors for high quality teachers of color.

In addition to her responsibilities as a legislator, Sondra is a member of American Legion Auxiliary, Civic Betterment Club, Central Minnesota Republican Women, and Farm Bureau.

To read more about Chalkboard Politician Sondra Erickson, see her website at www.sondraerickson.com.

West Virginia’s Ginny Starcher: Educator and politician

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West Virginia’s Ginny Starcher was an exemplary educator and also an accomplished politician. Photo credit: Charleston Gazette Mail.

In our country’s history, there are many examples of fine classroom educators who also became excellent politicians. One of these was Ginny Starcher, a teacher from West Virginia who also served in her state’s House of Delegates.

Ginny, whose birth name was Virginia, was born on February 23, 1930, in Wheeling, West Virginia. As a youngster, she attended schools in Cameron, West Virginia. Following her high school graduation she enrolled at West Virginia University. After earning both her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, Ginny taught at Ripley High School in Ripley, West Virginia. Later she taught at Schenectady High School in New York.

In addition to her work in the classroom, Ginny also worked for the Federal government. For a while she was employed at the Central Intelligence Agency. She also worked for the Library of Congress. Later, she served as a commissioner for Jackson County in her home state. In 1986, Virginia was elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates on the Democratic ticket. There she represented the 11th District, which included Jackson County. In 1988 she was elected to a second term, and once she served that term, she retired. Ginny was the first woman elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates representing Jackson County.

In addition to her work as an educator and politician, Ginny also served as the President of Jackson General Hospital Auxiliary, as a member of the Board of the Jackson County Library, and as a member of the Board of the Health Department Board. She also belonged to the Pilot Club, the Jackson County Democrat Woman’s Club, and the Ripley Garden Club.

This accomplished educator and politician passed away on December 19, 2012, at Hubbard Hospice House in Charleston, West Virginia, following a lengthy illness. She was 82 years of age. To learn more about Ginny Starcher, see this obituary published by Tribute Archive.

Idaho teacher, politician, and LGBTQ activist Nicole LeFavour

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Idaho teacher, politician, and LGBTQ activist Nicole LeFavour has served in both her state’s House of Representatives and State Senate. Photo credit: Creative Commons.

Often talented classroom teachers also distinguish themselves as skillful politicians. One of these is Nicole LeFavour, an elementary school teacher and LGBTQ rights activist from Boise, Idaho, who has also served in both her state’s House of Representatives and State Senate.

Nicole was born on Feb. 8, 1964, in Colorado. She was raised in Custer County, Idaho, and as an adult established herself in Boise in 1990. Nicole earned her Bachelor’s degree in Cognitive Science from UC Berkeley in 1987. She also attended San Francisco State University, where she graduated in 1988. She earned her Master’s degree in Fine Arts in Writing from the University of Montana, Missoula, in 1990. In addition, in 2010, Nicole completed a course of study from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, where she attended as the LGBTQ Leadership Fellow.

Nicole is certified to teach English, Art, Life Science, and Social Science. She inaugurated her career as an educator when she accepted a position as a fifth and sixth grade teacher at the Boise River School, where she taught in 1991. In 1996, she was working as an eighth grade teacher at Fort Boise Middle High School. Nicole has also worked as an instructor of Freshman Composition at the University of Montana from 1989 to 1990. She has taught writing to young adults and at-risk youth at The Cabin Literary Center for more than two decades, and for the past 12 years she has taught at the Writers at Harriman program.

After she left the classroom, this exemplary educator was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Idaho House of Representatives, where she represented District 19 from 2004 to 2008. While there, she served on the Committees for Environment, Energy, and Technology; Judiciary; and Revenue and Taxation. She left the House to represent District 19 in the Idaho State Senate in 2008, and served there until 2012. There she served on the Senate Committees for Education; Health and Welfare; Commerce; and Judiciary and Rules. Nicole was the first openly gay member of the Idaho legislature, and she has been an untiring activist for gay rights.

For her work as a legislator, Nicole has earned many accolades. In 2008, she was named Legislator of the Year by the Idaho State Planning Council on Mental Health. In 2001, she garnered the Women Making History Award from Boise State University Women’s Center. That same year, she earned a United Nations Human Rights Day Award by the Idaho Voices of Faith for Human Rights.

To learn more about Nicole LeFavour, see her website at http://www.4idaho.org/.

Teacher Sarah Fain one of Virginia’s first women politicians

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Virginia school teacher Sarah Fain was one of the first two women elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. Photo credit: Dictionary of Virginia Biography.

Many talented educators have also earned success in the political realm. One such educator is Sarah Fain, a public school teacher from Virginia who was one of the first two women to be elected to her state’s House of Delegates.

Sarah was born on Nov. 23. 1888, in Norfolk Virginia. She was educated first at Leache-Wood Seminary. She graduated from Hemmingway High School in 19097. Following her high school graduation, Sarah taught for 12 years in elementary schools in the Norfolk public school system. During her summer breaks, she enrolled in summer courses at the University of Virginia. The university did not offer diplomas to women in her day, but still Sarah managed to earn enough credits to qualify as the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree in Education and Administration.

When World War I broke out, Sarah volunteered for the Norfolk Red Cross, and she sold Liberty bonds to help financially support the war. When the 19th Amendment was ratified, she joined the League of Women voters and became active in Democratic Party politics. In 1923, the former teacher was elected to the House of Delegates becoming one of the two first women to serve in that political body. She served  total of three terms in the House. As a delegate, Sarah focused on issues that were important to her constituents, especially education and maritime laws. During her last term, she chaired the prestigious Committee on Schools and Colleges. In addition, she voted for an anti-lynching bill that was then the strictest in the nation.

During the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Sarah was appointed to serve in several New Deal agencies, including the National Emergency Council, where she helped establish the United States Information Service and served as its first chief. She later directed a homestead community project and supervised a rural family resettlement program.

In 1938, Sarah moved to San Marino, California, and continued to participate in local politics. It was there that she passed away on July 20, 1962. She was buried at Norfolk’s Elmwood Cemetery.

To learn more about Sarah Fain, see this article about her in the Dictionary of Virginia Biography published by the Library of Virginia.

Michigan’s Collene Lamonte: Science educator and politician

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Because of their finely-developed leadership skills, many teachers make excellent politicians. One of these is Collene Lamonte, a high school science educator who also served in the Michigan State House of Representatives. Photo credit: Michigan House Democrats.

Because of their finely-developed leadership skills, many classroom teachers make excellent politicians. One of these was Collene Lamonte, a high school math and science educator who also served in the Michigan State House of Representatives.

Collene was raised in a working-class family in Macomb County’s New Baltimore, a suburb north of Detroit. Her father owned and operated Schmid Marina on Anchor Bay of Lake St. Clair, a 300-slip seasonal facility.

Collene earned her Bachelor’s degree in General Science Education, with a minor in Mathematics, from Saginaw Valley Sate University. This institution of higher learning is a public university located in University Center, Michigan. It was founded in 1963 as Saginaw Valley College. During her college years, Colleen was named to both the President’s and the Dean’s List; in fact, she graduated summa cum laude. In addition, she was a member of the Alpha Chi National College Honor Scholarship Society.

After she earned her degree, Collene taught high school physics and physical science in Muskegon Public Schools from 2007 to 2012, a total of five years. There she developed a hands-on, inquiry-based program with projects, experiments, activities, and research assignments that were designed to stimulate critical thinking skills. Through her instructional program, the innovative teacher improved test scores and student performance on state standardized tests.

In 2012, the former teacher was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Michigan State House of Representatives. There she served the 91st District from 2013 to 2014.. Her committee assignments included the Education Committee, Energy and Technology, and Financial Services.

Today, Collene works as a Field Services Representative for MESSA, the Michigan Education Special Services Association located in East Lansing, Michigan. She has worked in this capacity since 2018.

To learn more about Collene, see her website at Michigan House Democrats.