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[[Kansas State University]]​

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'''David Glenn Thibodaux''' (December 1, 1953 – March 24, 2007) was an influential [[professor]] at the University of Louisiana at [[Lafayette]] for twenty-seven years and a member for twelve years of the Lafayette Parish School Board, of which he was a president and vice-president. A notable political figure, he ran four times for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for [[Louisiana]]'s 7th congressional district, since disbanded.

'''David Glenn Thibodaux''' (December 1, 1953 – March 24, 2007) was an influential [[professor]] at the University of Louisiana at [[Lafayette]] for twenty-seven years and a member for twelve years of the Lafayette Parish School Board, of which he was a president and vice-president. A notable political figure, he ran four times for the [[United States House of Representatives]] for [[Louisiana]]'s 7th congressional district, since disbanded.

   

   

==School board service==

==School board service==

 

In 1994, Thibodaux was elected to the District 7 seat on the Lafayette Parish School Board. He was re-elected in 1998, 2002, and was unopposed for his fourth term in 2006. Thibodaux was elected by the board to serve twice as board president, and had been elected to serve as vice-president in January 2007, shortly before his death. As a board member he advocated for a reduction in teacher-student ratios, pay increases for teachers, and for additional construction and maintenance of parish schools. He was integral in procuring unitary status in the lingering 40-year-old [[desegregation]] lawsuit against the school board. He made an impassioned plea for unitary status before Judge Richard T. Haik of the United States District Court. Haikk is a brother of another Louisiana Republican figure, Suzanne Haik Terrell of [[New Orleans]].

In 1994, Thibodaux was elected to the District 7 seat on the Lafayette Parish School Board. He was re-elected in 1998, 2002, and was unopposed for his fourth term in 2006. Thibodaux was elected by the board to serve twice as board president, and had been elected to serve as vice-president in January 2007, shortly before his death. As a board member he advocated for a reduction in teacher-student ratios, pay increases for teachers, and for additional construction and maintenance of parish schools. He was integral in procuring unitary status in the lingering 40-year-old [[desegregation]] lawsuit against the school board. He made an impassioned plea for unitary status before Judge Richard T. Haik of the United States District Court. Haikk is a brother of another Louisiana Republican figure, Suzanne Haik Terrell of [[New Orleans]].

Thibodaux stressed the need for money in the classroom, rather than expanded administration, which frequently placed him at odds with Lafayette Parish Superintenden James Easton.​ Soon after his death, at the request of Thibodaux's family, the Lafayette Parish School Board appointed Mark Cockerham (born 1976), a former student of Thibodaux's who had worked in his congressional campaign, to fill the District 7 vacancy until a special election could be held in conjunction with the regular [[primary]] elections scheduled for October 20, 2007. With the endorsement of Thibodaux's family, Cockerham was re-elected to serve a full term in the election that fall.​

Thibodaux stressed the need for money in the classroom, rather than expanded administration, which frequently placed him at odds with Lafayette Parish Superintenden James Easton.​ Soon after his death, at the request of Thibodaux's family, the Lafayette Parish School Board appointed Mark Cockerham (born 1976), a former student of Thibodaux's who had worked in his congressional campaign, to fill the District 7 vacancy until a special election could be held in conjunction with the regular [[primary]] elections scheduled for October 20, 2007. With the endorsement of Thibodaux's family, Cockerham was re-elected to serve a full term in the election that fall.​

 

In 2011, the Lafayette Parish School Board announced the opening of the David Thibodaux Career and Technical High School, a facility designed to provide students with career and technical industry-based certification and college credit, which was a vision Thibodaux had fought for in the years before his death.

In 2011, the Lafayette Parish School Board announced the opening of the David Thibodaux Career and Technical High School, a facility designed to provide students with career and technical industry-based certification and college credit, which was a vision Thibodaux had fought for in the years before his death.

==Louisiana Republican pioneer==

==Louisiana Republican pioneer==

 

At the time of Thibodaux's death, [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], then the chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, heralded Thibodaux as a pioneer of the GOP in southwestern Louisiana. Disenfranchised with the controlling Democratic Party due to widespread corruption throughout the state in the 1970s and 1980s, Thibodaux sought to enhance the position of Louisiana's Republican Party to restore a viable two-party system to his state. He served as a delegate to the 1988 [[Republican National Convention]], which met in New Orleans, and was elected to the Republican State Central Committee, where, as a member of The Louisiana Coalition against Racism and Nazism, he rallied against [[David Duke]]'s 1991 gubernatorial campaign against Edwin Edwards.

At the time of Thibodaux's death, [[Roger F. Villere, Jr.]], then the chairman of the Louisiana Republican Party, heralded Thibodaux as a pioneer of the GOP in southwestern Louisiana. Disenfranchised with the controlling Democratic Party due to widespread corruption throughout the state in the 1970s and 1980s, Thibodaux sought to enhance the position of Louisiana's Republican Party to restore a viable two-party system to his state. He served as a delegate to the 1988 [[Republican National Convention]], which met in New Orleans, and was elected to the Republican State Central Committee, where, as a member of The Louisiana Coalition against Racism and Nazism, he rallied against [[David Duke]]'s 1991 gubernatorial campaign against Edwin Edwards.

With only twelve votes separating Thibodaux from a spot in the runoff, many urged Thibodaux to challenge the election results amid widespread reports of irregularities and election fraud across the state. In Louisiana's election for U.S. Senate that year, Republican [[Woody Jenkins]] contested the results of his narrow loss to Democrat [[Mary Landrieu]] claiming election fraud, including ballot tampering, voter fraud, and illegal busing in precincts statewide, including those in the 7th District. Jenkins brought his challenge to the U.S. Senate, arguing for a new election in front of the Senate Rules Committee. After a 10-month investigation revealed that fraud had occurred, the committee voted 8–7 along party lines to uphold the election results. Thibodaux chose not to pursue his own challenge of the results of the House race. Chris John went on to defeat Hunter Lundy in the general election and held the seat until he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, when he was defeated by the Republican [[David Vitter]].

With only twelve votes separating Thibodaux from a spot in the runoff, many urged Thibodaux to challenge the election results amid widespread reports of irregularities and election fraud across the state. In Louisiana's election for U.S. Senate that year, Republican [[Woody Jenkins]] contested the results of his narrow loss to Democrat [[Mary Landrieu]] claiming election fraud, including ballot tampering, voter fraud, and illegal busing in precincts statewide, including those in the 7th District. Jenkins brought his challenge to the U.S. Senate, arguing for a new election in front of the Senate Rules Committee. After a 10-month investigation revealed that fraud had occurred, the committee voted 8–7 along party lines to uphold the election results. Thibodaux chose not to pursue his own challenge of the results of the House race. Chris John went on to defeat Hunter Lundy in the general election and held the seat until he ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, when he was defeated by the Republican [[David Vitter]].

 

When John vacated the seat, Thibodaux decided to run again. However, when a recently retired [[physician]], Charles Boustany, Jr., a longtime friend and supporter of Thibodaux in previous elections, decided to enter the race, the Republican party gave Boustany the endorsement. In the general election, Thibodaux backed Boustany,  who then defeated state Senator Willie Mount of [[Lake Charles]] with 55 percent of the vote, and became the first Republican elected to represent Louisiana's 7th District, which was disbaned after the 2010 census.

When John vacated the seat, Thibodaux decided to run again. However, when a recently retired [[physician]], Charles Boustany, Jr., a longtime friend and supporter of Thibodaux in previous elections, decided to enter the race, the Republican party gave Boustany the endorsement. In the general election, Thibodaux backed Boustany,  who then defeated state Senator Willie Mount of [[Lake Charles]] with 55 percent of the vote, and became the first Republican elected to represent Louisiana's 7th District, which was disbaned after the 2010 census.

Boustany called Thibodaux's death "a great loss for the people of Lafayette Parish, particularly for those of us who were proud to call him a friend. He will always be remembered for his passionate and relentless pursuit of improving public education for our communities in Lafayette Parish."​

Boustany called Thibodaux's death "a great loss for the people of Lafayette Parish, particularly for those of us who were proud to call him a friend. He will always be remembered for his passionate and relentless pursuit of improving public education for our communities in Lafayette Parish."​

​Party chairman Roger Villere, Jr.,  declared a statewide day of mourning and remembrance for Thibodaux, whom Villere described as: "a Republican pioneer in Acadiana". I ask all Louisiana citizens to join me in honoring Dr. David Thibodaux and the life he devoted to making Louisiana a better place. I ask all of you to keep David's family and friends in your prayers."​

Party chairman Roger Villere, Jr.,  declared a statewide day of mourning and remembrance for Thibodaux, whom Villere described as: "a Republican pioneer in Acadiana". I ask all Louisiana citizens to join me in honoring Dr. David Thibodaux and the life he devoted to making Louisiana a better place. I ask all of you to keep David's family and friends in your prayers."​

 

===Thibodaux as a "movement conservative"===

===Thibodaux as a "movement conservative"===

"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."

"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."

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.​

 

In addition to his father, Thibodaux was survived by his wife, the former Melody Faul; five children, Benjamin Albert Thibodaux and his wife, the former Wendi Robertson, Shannon Ashley Thibodaux, Jeremy David Thibodaux, Claire Michaelle Thibodaux, and Rachel Christine Thibodaux; one grandson; two sisters, and two brothers. Besides his mother, he was preceded in death by two brothers.

In addition to his father, Thibodaux was survived by his wife, the former Melody Faul; five children, Benjamin Albert Thibodaux and his wife, the former Wendi Robertson, Shannon Ashley Thibodaux, Jeremy David Thibodaux, Claire Michaelle Thibodaux, and Rachel Christine Thibodaux; one grandson; two sisters, and two brothers. Besides his mother, he was preceded in death by two brothers.

School board president Carl LaCombe, a Democrat and close friend who served as a pallbearer along with Thibodaux's two sons, Ben and Jeremy; his two brothers, Patrick and Jimmy; and his lifelong friend Alfred Boustany; said that Thibodaux "worked tirelessly to help the children of Lafayette Parish. He never stopped."​

School board president Carl LaCombe, a Democrat and close friend who served as a pallbearer along with Thibodaux's two sons, Ben and Jeremy; his two brothers, Patrick and Jimmy; and his lifelong friend Alfred Boustany; said that Thibodaux "worked tirelessly to help the children of Lafayette Parish. He never stopped."​

 

According to his obituary in ''The Daily Advertiser'', the passionate Thibodaux was a man of the people and for the people. Dedicated to making a difference in the world, he served in public office and actively participated in his community. Family values and education were his passions and this showed in all of his endeavors. He was not afraid to fight for everything he believed in, even against great odds. . . . "​

According to his obituary in ''The Daily Advertiser'', the passionate Thibodaux was a man of the people and for the people. Dedicated to making a difference in the world, he served in public office and actively participated in his community. Family values and education were his passions and this showed in all of his endeavors. He was not afraid to fight for everything he believed in, even against great odds. . . . "​

 

Services were held on March 28, 2007, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lafayette. Thibodaux's eulogist was Alfred Boustany, Jr., his best friend since elementary school, and a cousin of Charles Boustany, Jr.  Judge Richard Haik told those in attendance: "You are David's eulogy. People from all walks of life came here out of respect and love."​

Services were held on March 28, 2007, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Lafayette. Thibodaux's eulogist was Alfred Boustany, Jr., his best friend since elementary school, and a cousin of Charles Boustany, Jr.  Judge Richard Haik told those in attendance: "You are David's eulogy. People from all walks of life came here out of respect and love."​

 

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==

 

In 2011, the Lafayette Parish School Board announced the opening of the David Thibodaux Career and Technical High School. The mission of the new school was to provide students career and technical industry-based certification and college credit, which was a vision Thibodaux had fought for in the years before his death.​ The school was rededicated as the David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy the following school year, which extended enrollment from 6th through 11th grade, with a 12th grade to be added for the 2013 school year. Students at the school train specifically for careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics – hence the acronym

In 2011, the Lafayette Parish School Board announced the opening of the David Thibodaux Career and Technical High School. The mission of the new school was to provide students career and technical industry-based certification and college credit, which was a vision Thibodaux had fought for in the years before his death.​ The school was rededicated as the David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy the following school year, which extended enrollment from 6th through 11th grade, with a 12th grade to be added for the 2013 school year. Students at the school train specifically for careers in science, technology, engineering or mathematics – hence the acronym