Tag Archives: Teacher Politicians

Former middle school teacher Ben Cannon also served in the Oregon House of Reps

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Ben Cannon, an Oregon middle school Humanities teacher, has also served in his state’s House of Representatives.

Professional educators often make excellent politicians. This is true of Ben Cannon, a former middle school teacher who has also served in the Oregon State House of Representatives.

Ben was born in 1976 in Springfield, Illinois. As a teenager, he graduated from West Linn High School in West Linn, Oregon. That was in 1994. After his graduation, Ben earned his Bachelor’s degree at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. While there, he served as the editor of the college newspaper. In 1999, Ben garnered a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University in England. There he completed courses in Economics, Politics, and Philosophy. He also earned a Master’s degree in Comparative and International Education.

Once he completed his studies, Ben returned to Oregon to accept a position as a Humanities teacher at the Arbor School of Arts and Sciences in Tualatin. Located in Washington County, the Arbor School is a private K-8 institution situated on 21 acres of wooded farm land. The facility also houses the Arbor Center for Teaching, a two-year teacher residency program offering an innovative teaching apprenticeship in a laboratory school setting. Ben taught at the Arbor School from 2003 to 2011, a period of eight years.

In 2006, Ben was elected on the Democratic ticket to the first of three terms he served in the Oregon House of Representatives. He represented the 46th District. Before completing his third term, however, Ben gave up his seat to accept a position as the Education Policy Adviser to Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber. He left that position in 2013 when he was appointed to lead the state’s newly created Higher Education Coordinating Commission. In this capacity, Ben oversees state funding allocations, policy-setting, and coordination for the state’s higher education system. 

During the time Ben worked in these political positions, the former teacher worked to secure Oregon’s waiver from the No Child Left Behind laws. He also overhauled Oregon’s system of higher education.

To learn more about Ben, see his website at this link: The Evolllution.

William Taylor Adams: Teacher, author, and Massachusetts politician

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William Taylor Adams: Teacher, author, and Massachusetts politician

It is not unusual for talented educators to make a mark in other professions. This is true of William Taylor Adams. He was a dedicated teacher who was also a celebrated author and successful politician.

William was born on July 30, 1822, in Medway Massachusetts. As a child, he attended schools in Boston and West Roxbury. He also completed a year at “Able Whitney’s private academy” after he completed his high school education. During these years, William was described as an excellent student.

As a young man, he inaugurated his career as an educator in 1843 at the Lower Road School in Dorchester, Massachusetts. He was highly thought of there. After three years, he left the classroom to work in the family business, the Adams House Hotel in Boston. But by in 1848, William missed teaching so much that he returned to the classroom. That’s when he accepted a teaching position at the Boylston School in Boston. By 1860, he was named the headmaster of the school. When the Bowditch School was founded, William taught there as well. In all, William’s career as an educator spanned 20 years.

When he was 28 years old, William published his first book It was a volume for juvenile readers, released under the pseudonym Warren T. Ashton. The book, published in 1853, was entitled Hatchie, the Guardian Slave. The following year, he produced the first in a series of books dubbed the Boat Club Series, which was an instant hit. He is probably best known, though, for his books in the Blue and Gray Series. These books featured settings in the Civil War. In total, William wrote more than 100 books, most of them for adolescent boys. Most of his books were published under the pseudonym Oliver Optic.

In addition to his work in the classroom and as an author, William enjoyed success as a politician and legislator. He served as a member of the school board for the town of Dorchester. Later he completed a 14-year stint on Boston’s school board. In 1869, William was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. He served there representing the 5th Norfolk District until 1870.

This amazing educator, author, and politician passed away March 27, 1897, in Dorchester. He is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester. To read more about him, click on this link to his biography published by the University of Massachusetts.

Ima Wells: Teacher and member of the New Mexico House of Reps

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Ima Wells: Elementary school teacher and member of the New Mexico House of Representatives

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.

The remarkable Emma M. Cramer: Teacher and Ohio politician

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The remarkable Emma M. Cramer: Public high school teacher and member of the House of Representatives for her home state of Ohio.

Often talented educators make their mark in the political arena as well as in professional teachers’ circles. Such was the case of Emma M. Cramer, a public high school teacher who was also a member of the House of Representatives for her home state of Ohio.

Emma was born on June 21, 1859, the daughter of Albert C. and Louise (Crone) Cramer. Born and educated in Portsmouth, she later went on to teach at Portsmouth High School. She attended college during the summers, earning degrees from both the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Chicago. She started teaching at the age of 20, and her career spanned 54 years, until her retirement in 1933. Her students described her as thorough and exacting, but also patient, persevering, and sympathetic.

During her lengthy teaching career, Emma was also involved in many civic organizations. She was a member of the Portsmouth City Council (1912-1925), Chairperson of the Republican Women of Scioto County (1922-26), and member of the Portsmouth Board of Education (1934-37). After she was elected to the state House, she continued to teach while occupying her seat in the legislature. Her colleagues often said she was an individual of stalwart character and tireless in her efforts to serve others.

Emma donated her time and energy not only to the legislature and to education, but also to other organizations, including the Ohio League of Women Voters, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Portsmouth Public Library Board of Trustees, the Ohio Library, the National Municipal League, the State and National Education Associations, the Council of Republican Women of Ohio, the Women’s City Club, and the Business and Professional Women’s Club.

This remarkable educator passed away on June 15, 1952, at the age of 92. To read more about Emma, see this link at Ohio Statehouse.

Connecticut’s Felipe Reinoso: Expert educator and politician

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Connecticut’s Felipe Reinoso: Expert educator and accomplished politician.

There are many fine educators who have also served successfully in political offices. One of these is Felipe Reinoso, a high school social studies teacher who also served in the Connecticut State House of Representatives.

Felipe was born in 1950 in Arequipa, Peru. He was one of five sons born to his parents, Cirilo and Angelica Reinoso. In 1969, when Felipe was 19 years old, his family immigrated to the United States. They settled in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Felipe earned his Bachelors’ degree at Sacred Heart University in 1984. The school is a private Roman Catholic university located in Fairfield, Connecticut. He earned his Master’s degree from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1987. Later he earned a second Master’s degree, in Public Administration, from the John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Felipe inaugurated his career as an educator at Warren Harding High School. He taught Social Studies there for 14 years. In 1989, he accepted a position at the Saturday Hispanic Academy in Science at his alma mater, Sacred Heart University. In 1998, Felipe and two colleagues founded the Bridge Academy High School, a charter high school located in Bridgeport. He served as the school’s principal through 2006.

In 2001, Felipe earned the Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Award from Fairfield University. The award recognized Felipe’s tireless effort to instill and inspire the teachings and ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr., in the youth of his community. In 1999, he was one of 21 honorees to receive the President’s Service Award from President Bill Clinton. The honor was given for volunteer efforts directed at solving critical social problems. The award is the highest honor given each year by the President of the United States for volunteerism.

In 2000, Felipe was elected on the Democratic ticket to the Connecticut House of Representatives. There he represented the 130th District from 2001 and 2009. He was the first Peruvian-American to become a member of any US state legislature. While in the legislature, Felipe worked to lower tuition rates for immigrant students. He also worked towards allowing non-citizens an opportunity to gain a driver’s license.

After he left office, Felipe returned to his native country of Peru. He settled n the capital city of Lima, where he still lives today. To learn more about him, see this link at Our Campaigns.