Before Anita Gibson became a teacher, she veered away from leadership and speaking obligations. But she found her voice the first time she stood in front of an elementary school classroom in her hometown of Rainsville, Ala.
“I was very uncomfortable even speaking and uncertain about teaching, but in a classroom, I found my passion,” says Gibson, who became the president of NEA-Retired on Sept. 1. “I could connect with these students and get them interested in learning.”
That success gave her the confidence to lead in her union, first as president of the DeKalb County Education Association (DCEA) and later as president of the Alabama Education Association and as an active member of the NEA Board
of Directors. Most recently she served as an NEA-Retired member of the Board.
“As NEA-Retired celebrated its 40th anniversary in June, the great work of the organization hit home,” reflects Gibson. “I want to continue that legacy.”
She wants to ensure that recent retirees become members and are given a voice through training and pathways for their input and leadership.
“We have great local leaders, but often there isn’t a place for them in retirement. I’d like to partner them with experienced retirees to lead this organization and develop new ideas.”
Focusing on inclusion
As president of her local, Gibson found that she enjoyed helping fellow educators, such as teachers struggling with classroom management or oversized classrooms.
She also focused on inclusion of all staff, collaborating with the DeKalb County Education Support Professionals and inviting them to join DCEA at school board meetings—a first in the county.
“We discussed issues prior to board meetings to present a united front. This has continued and has brought our associations closer.”
The school administration selected Gibson to manage a new workforce program for non-English speaking high school students, and Gibson wrote a grant for a program to help Native American students learn about their heritage.
“It all gave me a broader perspective about how every single day might be the day something important happens for a student,” she recalls. “Everyone deserves access to those opportunities.
Working for future generations
Neither Gibson nor her husband, Garry, started out as teachers. But they both loved working with young people. They agreed to get their teaching degrees, alternating time between work, classes, and caring for a newly adopted baby girl.
Today, their daughter teaches in the same school that Gibson did, and the Gibsons’ grandchildren are students there, too.
“I’m concerned about the environment my daughter goes into every day. I want her and all educators to feel safe and valued,” Gibson says. “I want my grandchildren and their classmates to be successful and productive citizens, and I want educators to be able to retire with dignity. I know we can make strides toward those goals.”
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