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Line 59: + + + + − "[He was] a movement conservative who might not appreciate the appropriation of Democrat [[Alfred E. Smith|Al Smith]]’s nickname. But Thibodaux was a happy warrior. [He] taught a generation of kids at ULL, and took on mamby-pamby language and knee-jerk [[Liberalism|liberals]] in a pair of books. At the time of his death, he was locked in the battle for which he may be remembered most: his duel with U.S. District Judge Richard Haik over school desegregation. Thibodaux fought Haik every way he knew how.+ − + − "His opposition was about the proper role of the judiciary, not about indifference to the kids. His push for reduced class sizes, lovingly detailed in dozens of conversations over the years, was about improving education in Lafayette schools that serve low-income students. And his biggest allies in the fight against the court-ordered desegregation measures were the two black school board members, [Democrats] Ed Sam and Rickey Hardy, who resented the closure of schools in black neighborhoods."+ − − − ==Personal life and death== Line 81:
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→A "movement conservative"
Bill Decker of the ''Lafayette Daily Advertiser'' described Thibodaux, accordingly:
Bill Decker of the ''Lafayette Daily Advertiser'' described Thibodaux, accordingly:
"[He was] a movement conservative who might not appreciate the appropriation of Democrat [[Alfred E. Smith|Al Smith]]’s nickname. But Thibodaux was a happy warrior. [He] taught a generation of kids at ULL, and took on mamby-pamby language and knee-jerk [[Liberalism|liberals]] in a pair of books. At the time of his death, he was locked in the battle for which he may be remembered most: his duel with U.S. District Judge Richard Haik over school desegregation. Thibodaux fought Haik every way he knew how.
"His opposition was about the proper role of the judiciary, not about indifference to the kids. His push for reduced class sizes, lovingly detailed in dozens of conversations over the years, was about improving education in Lafayette schools that serve low-income students. And his biggest allies in the fight against the court-ordered desegregation measures were the two black school board members, [Democrats] Ed Sam and Rickey Hardy, who resented the closure of schools in black neighborhoods."
Mrs. Thibodaux told ''The Daily Advertiser'' that her husband "gave everything that he could. He was the only person I knew that lost sleep over someone else’s children."
==Personal life and death==
Mrs. Thibodaux told ''The Daily Advertiser'' that her husband "gave everything that he could. He was the only person I knew that lost sleep over someone else’s children."
Thibodaux was born in New Iberia in Iberia Parish, to Albert Joseph Thibodaux and Charlie Janet Thibodaux (November 15, 1932 – January 27, 2006). He graduated from Cathedral Carmel [[Roman Catholic]] High School in Lafayette. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] and [[Master of Arts]] degrees from ULL, (then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana). He obtained his [[Ph.D.]] from [[Kansas State University]] in Manhattan, [[Kansas]], before he joined the UL Lafayette faculty in 1980.
Thibodaux was born in New Iberia in Iberia Parish, to Albert Joseph Thibodaux and Charlie Janet Thibodaux (November 15, 1932 – January 27, 2006). He graduated from Cathedral Carmel [[Roman Catholic]] High School in Lafayette. He received his [[Bachelor of Arts]] and [[Master of Arts]] degrees from ULL, (then known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana). He obtained his [[Ph.D.]] from [[Kansas State University]] in Manhattan, [[Kansas]], before he joined the UL Lafayette faculty in 1980.
Thibodaux was [[cremation|cremated]] and placed in his family tomb located in the cemetery of St. John's Cathedral.
Thibodaux was [[cremation|cremated]] and placed in his family tomb located in the cemetery of St. John's Cathedral.
==Legacy: David Thibodaux High School==
==Legacy: David Thibodaux High School==