Fran Bodman graduated Hunter College in 1965 with a major in history and a minor in political science and secondary education.  Fran taught social studies at Mabel Dean Vocational high school and Long Island City high schools in New York City from 1965-1969. 

 

As a member of the UFT she participated in the teachers’ strikes in 1966 and 1968 under the leadership of Albert Shanker.   After a move to Miami, Florida, she taught social studies at Miami Killian (1973-1979) and Miami Sunset (1979-2005) senior high schools. Fran was a member of UTD and participated in many UTD demonstrations;  in 1985 she was elected  the union steward at Miami Sunset for 15 years. 

 

As a teacher at Miami Sunset she taught government (general, honors, and later AP government ), economics (Junior Achievement, honors and and later Ap macro economics), and Street Law which included assisting in the creation and participation in Mock Trials in the Miami-Dade School System.  Miami Sunset mock trial team won in 1985, 86 and 87 and represented Miami-Dade in the National Mock Trials in 1987.  One of her high points was a special project she ran in the government classes every election cycle by inviting local candidates to her classes. Students signed up to volunteer to participate in one or more of the campaigns, they had to log in 15 hours and write an analysis of the experience. She wrote her Nova University master’s thesis based on the impact of active civic participation of her students.  

 

After retiring in 2005, Fran was a co-President of the Solivita Democrats working on the 2007 Obama campaign; moved to Dawson, Georgia - joined the Dawson Democrats and participated in many demonstrations in Atlanta; moved to Valencia Lakes in Wimauma in 2015.  She became active in the South Shore Democrats and was elected President in 2018.

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A teacher, a political activist, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother, Fran’s love and commitment to her family and country are ongoing.  A commitment to democracy is to stay vigilant and active.