Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

US Rep and Home Ec teacher Elizabeth Andrews

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Former high school Home Economics teacher Elizabeth Andrews was the first woman to represent Alabama in the US House of Representatives. Photo credit: Encyclopedia of Alabama

Many talented educators also distinguish themselves in the political arena. One such educator is Elizabeth Andrews, a high school Home Economics teacher who became the first woman to represent Alabama in the US House of Representatives.

Elizabeth was born on February 12, 1911, in Geneva, Alabama.  After she graduated from high school, she enrolled at Montevallo College, now known as the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Alabama. There she earned her Bachelor’s degree in Home Economics in 1932.

The neophyte educator inaugurated her career at a high school in Livingston, Alabama. During the Great Depression, she relocated to a teaching position in Union Springs to earn more money.

When Elizabeth’s husband, George William Andrews, ran for office in the 78th US Congress, she worked tirelessly for his campaign. He won the election, and was re-elected 13 times. When her husband passed away in 1971, Elizabeth ran on the Democratic ticket unopposed for his position representing the 3rd Congressional District. When she won the election, she became the first woman to represent her state in the US Congress until the next one was elected in 2010.

While in office, Elizabeth served on the Committee for Post Office and Civil Service. She introduced legislation to protect benefits for Social Security and health care. She also threw her energy into funding research centers working for cures for cancer and heart disease. She sponsored legislation to designate Tuskegee University a National Historic Site. In addition, she supported withdrawal from the VietNam conflict.

Elizabeth retired from politics in 1973. She moved to Union Springs, Alabama, and became engrossed in local community affairs.

This Chalkboard Champion passed away on December 2, 2002, in Birmingham, Alabama. She was nearly 92 years old. She was buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in Union Springs.

To read more about Elizabeth Andrews, see this article about her in the Encyclopedia of Alabama.

Abigail Fillmore: The First Lady who was her husband’s teacher

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Former First Lady Abigail Fillmore: She was not only the wife of President Millard Fillmore, before she married him, she was his teacher! Photo credit: National First Ladies Library

Many American Presidents and First Ladies were former school educators. One of them was Abigail Fillmore, who actually taught the school her future husband, Millard Fillmore, attended.

Millard was 19 years old and largely illiterate when he decided he needed more education. He enrolled in a school in a nearby town in the state of New York. The 22-year-old teacher was Abigail Powers. Millard, the oldest student in her class, quickly fell in love with his teacher, but he was too poor and too shy to do anything about it. Seven years after he became her student, she became his wife.

When Abigail became Millard’s teacher, she had already established herself in her career. She had been teaching for six years. In 1814, she accepted a position as a part-time school teacher at the Sempronius Village School. In 1817, she became a full-time teacher, and in 1819 she took on another teaching job and began to teach at the private New Hope Academy. When she was asked to open up a private school in Broome County, she agreed, and within a short time opened the school. In 1825, she returned to Sempronius to teach in her original position.

When Millard Fillmore was elected President in 1850, Abigail became the nation’s First Lady. In fact, because she did not follow local custom and quit her job after her marriage, she was the first First Lady who came to her new position as a woman with a prior career.

As First Lady, Abigail Fillmore created a White House library for future residents of the People’s House. With her husband, she supported education and championed hospitalization for the mentally handicapped rather than imprisonment and punishment.

To read more about this amazing First Lady, click on this link to History.com.

Ima Wells: Teacher and member of the NM House of Reps

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Ima Wells was a beloved teacher and a member of the New Mexico House of Representatives. Photo credit: Legacy.com

Many outstanding educators have also achieved acclaim in political arenas. One of these is Ima Wells, a teacher who was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives.

Ima Lee Greenwood was born on September 23, 1936, in Buffalo, Oklahoma. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Northwestern Oklahoma State University (NOSU). She earned her Master’s degree in Education from New Mexico State University.

While at NOSU, Ima met and married Del Wells. Once the pair graduated, Ima inaugurated her teaching career in a two-room schoolhouse in Kansas. Both she and her husband taught in southern Kansas for five years before moving to New Mexico in 1963. There Ima taught at Sandia Base in Albuquerque for ten years. She then moved to Loma Heights Elementary in Las Cruces, where she taught for 20 years.

During her lifetime, Ima worked tirelessly for her fellow educators. She served as President of the National Education Association (NEA) in New Mexico from 1987 to 1992. In the late 1990s, Ima moved to Rockford, Illinois, where she worked for NEA Illinois for five years. Then she returned to Las Cruces to work for NEA NM until she retired at the age of 72.

In 1993, Ima was elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives on the Democratic ticket. She represented District 37 for one term.

This chalkboard politician passed away on August 10, 2014, in Loveland, Colorado. She was 77 years old. To read more about Ima, click on this link to her obituary published by the Las Cruces Sun News.

Florida’s Dr. Brenda Snipes: Teacher, administrator, and public official

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Retired teacher and administrator Brenda Snipes served for 15 years as the Supervisor of Elections for Broward County, Florida. Photo credit: Public Domain

Many public officials have also served their community as teachers in public schools. One of these is Dr. Brenda Snipes, a former high school teacher who served for many years as the Broward County Supervisor of Elections.

Brenda was born on Oct. 24, 1943, in Talladega, Alabama. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Modern Foreign Languages from Talladega University. She earned her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida Atlantic University. She completed the requirements for her PhD in Educational Leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

Brenda inaugurated her career as an educator in 1964, when she accepted a position as a French teacher at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach, Florida. Over the next four decades, she worked with students of all ages, including elementary through adult education and vocational education. For some years, she served as the principal of Robert Markham Elementary School in Pompano Beach. As an administrator, Brenda developed training programs to identify and nurture potential future leaders in the school system. After a career that spanned a total of 39 years, Brenda retired from the teaching profession  in 2003.

From 2003 to 2018, Brenda was appointed by Gov. Jeb Bush to replace Mariam Oliphant as the Supervisor of Elections for Broward County, Florida. The former teacher was re-elected to the position in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016. In this role, she established a voter registration booth for permanent legal residents newly sworn in as American citizens to register to vote. She obtained new voter equipment, worked to create an initiative to teach voters how to use the equipment, and invested heavily in staff and poll-worker training. She advertised upcoming elections by appearing on television, radio shows, and billboards and by having a voter outreach coordinator. Brenda retired from her position as Supervisor of Elections in 2018.

Brenda passed away on Nov. 2, 2023 in Pembroke Park, Florida, following a short illness. She was 80 years old. She is interred in Oak Hill Cemetery in Talladega.

 

Jordan Harris: Teacher and member of PA House of Reps

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Former languages teacher Jordan Harris now serves in the Philadelphia State House of Representatives. Photo credit: Pennsylvania State House of Representatives

Often accomplished classroom teachers make successful politicians. One of these is Jordan A. Harris, a Philadelphia school teacher who currently serves in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives.

Jordan graduation from Philadelphia’s John Bartram Motivation High School in 2002. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Governmental and Political Affairs from Millersville University in Millersville, Pennsylvania, in 2006. He earned his Master’s Degree in Education from Cabrini College in Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, in 2008. He has also done work towards his PhD in Educational Leadership at Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania.

Jordan taught school for several years in the Philadelphia Public Schools.  He was employed as a languages teacher at Union Area High School located in New Castle, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. While there, he was instrumental in designing Slam Dunk, a summer program that assisted over 600 high school students to meet credit requirements for graduation.

In 2013, Jordan was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He represents the 186th District. For the 2017-2018 legislative session, he was elected to the Chair of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus. He is also part of the Career & Technical Education Caucus, the Community College Caucus, and the Early Childhood Education Caucus. elected, Majority Whip (January 3, 2023-February 28, 2023); elected, Majority In 2023, Jordan was elected the Majority Whip, and he has also served as the Appropriations Chair since 2023. In addition, he is a member of the Council of Trustees for Millersville University.

In his effort to serve young people, Jordan has worked as the Executive Director of the Philadelphia Youth Commission, where he used his influence to improve conditions for  the city’s youth and young adults. In this office, Jordan was able to extend the hours of the city’s recreation centers and create alternative activities. In addition, Jordan has served as the President of the Board of Directors at Lincoln Day Educational Center, the oldest continuously operating African American Day School in the country. And he has  served as a Member of the Board of the Hardy Williams Education Fund and the Christian Street YMCA.

For his efforts, the former classroom teacher has won many accolades. In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Most Influential People in Philadelphia by Philadelphia Magazine. He was also honored with Odunde 365’s 2017 Community Service Award for Positively Impacting Lives.