Jahana Hayes

Jahana Hayes
Personal details
Born (1973-03-08) March 8, 1973
Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Education Naugatuck Valley Community College
Southern Connecticut State University (BA)
University of Saint Joseph (MA)
University of Bridgeport (SYC)
Website Campaign website

Jahana Hayes (born March 8, 1973)[1] is an American schoolteacher. Hayes has been recognized as a state and national teacher of the year and is the 2018 Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 5th congressional district.

Early life and education

She was born on March 8, 1973,[1] in Waterbury, Connecticut, and grew up in public housing projects in that city. The daughter of a drug addict, Hayes became pregnant at age 17.[2]

She went on to earn an associate’s degree at Naugatuck Valley Community College and a bachelor’s degree at Southern Connecticut State.[3] In 2012, she earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction at the University of Saint Joseph.[4] In 2014, she earned her Sixth-Year Certificate from the University of Bridgeport School of Education.[5]

Teaching career

Hayes's first job was at the Southbury Training School in Connecticut.[6] She went on to teach government and history at John F. Kennedy High School in Waterbury. In addition, she chaired the Kennedy SOAR Review Board, a “school within a school” that provided advanced for gifted students. She was also a co-adviser of HOPE, a student-service club at Kennedy.[5] In 2015, she won the John F. Kennedy Teacher of the Year and then the Waterbury School District Educator of the Year.[5] In 2016 she was named Connecticut’s Teacher of the Year.[2]

This award won Hayes widespread media attention. “I really think that we need to change the narrative, change the dialogue about what teaching is as a profession,” Hayes told The Washington Post. “We’ve spent a lot of time in the last few years talking about the things that are not working. We really need to shift our attention to all the things that are working.” Appearing on Ellen DeGeneres's talk show, Hayes said that she teaches her students “kindness” and “community service."[7] After receiving the award, Hayes addressed the annual meeting of the National Education Association. “I am so grateful to be a member of the NEA,” she said, praising the union for preventing the “altruistic character trait that all teachers possess” from being exploited.[8]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

In 2018, Hayes ran for the Democratic nomination for Connecticut's 5th Congressional District. Her difficult upbringing was a cornerstone of her campaign. “I know what it’s like to go to bed to gunshots outside,” she told an audience at a candidate forum. “I know what it’s like to wake up in the morning to a dead body in the hallway."[3]

Hayes won the primary on August 14, beating Simsbury First Selectman Mary Glassman by a margin of 62-38.[9] In the November general election, she will face the Republican candidate, Manny Santos, former mayor of Meriden.[7]

If she wins, Hayes will become the first black congresswoman from New England[7] and the first black Democratic House member from Connecticut.[10]

Political positions

Hayes supports single-payer health care and stricter gun control.[7]

She supports public education and teachers' unions, and has credited her “union brothers and sisters” with playing a role in her success.[6] In the 2018 election, she won the endorsement of the Connecticut Education Association.[11] Her candidacy was also supported by the Connecticut Working Families Party (CTWFP), with CTWFP state director Lindsay Farrell saying that her primary victory “demonstrates the value in electing and mobilizing teachers who will fight for public education, stand up to [Education Secretary] Betsy DeVos, and advocate the importance of collective bargaining."[7]

After her primary victory, Hayes, who has made education her core issue, “stumbled on a question about vouchers, appearing to confuse the concept with charter schools.” She said, “I think as we increase the number of vouchers that are provided, it takes away from the public school system."[10]

Personal life

Hayes lives in Wolcott, Connecticut with her husband and four children.[12]

References

  1. 1 2 "Jahana Hayes". connvoters.com. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Eversly, Melanie. "She 'inspires her students': Jahana Hayes on track to become Connecticut's first Black Congressional Democrat". the grio. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  3. 1 2 MAHNKEN, Kevin. "Troubled Student, Teen Mom, Teacher of the Year: Is Connecticut Congressional Candidate Jahana Hayes the New Face of the Democratic Party?". The 74. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  4. ↑ "JAHANA HAYES M'12". University of Saint Joseph. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Geary, Leslie. "UB's Jahana Hayes wins National Teacher of the Year". UB News. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  6. 1 2 PAZNIOKAS, MARK. "AFL-CIO endorses Eva Bermudez Zimmerman, Jahana Hayes". The CT Mirror. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Schallhorn, Kaitlyn. "Who is Jahana Hayes, the Connecticut candidate who could make history?". FOX News. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  8. ↑ Hayas, Jahana. "Back to: Press Releases / National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes addresses fellow NEA members 0 National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes addresses fellow NEA members". National Education Association. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  9. ↑ Cohen, Rachel M.; Grim, Ryan. "JAHANA HAYES CRUSHES PARTY-BACKED CANDIDATE IN A LANDSLIDE". The Intercept. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  10. 1 2 ZHOU, AMANDA; BARNUM, MATT. "Jahana Hayes, nation's top teacher in 2016, may be headed to Congress after primary win". Chalkbeat. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  11. ↑ Vigdor, Neil. "Educators Endorse Former National Teacher Of The Year Jahana Hayes For Congress". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
  12. ↑ Connley, Courtney. "2016 National Teacher of the Year Jahana Hayes could become Connecticut's first black Democrat in Congress". CNBC. Retrieved September 6, 2018.
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