Paul Hubbert Explained

Paul Hubbert
Birth Date:25 December 1935
Birth Place:Jasper, Alabama, U.S.
Death Place:Montgomery, Alabama
Known For:President of the Alabama Education Association, candidate for Governor of Alabama
Party:Democratic Party

Paul R. Hubbert (December 25, 1935 – October 14, 2014) was an American politician and Democratic gubernatorial candidate from the U.S. state of Alabama. From 1969 to 2011, he was executive secretary-treasurer of the Alabama Education Association, a professional association for teachers. The organization serves many of the functions of a trade union, and is often referred to as such by news media and political opponents.[1] [2] [3] State law prohibits public employees from being represented by a union per se, hence the designation.[4]

As president of the AEA, he exerted significant influence upon Alabama politics. In 1990, he ran as the Democratic nominee in the Alabama gubernatorial election, and lost to Republican incumbent H. Guy Hunt. Four years later he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor. He was co-chair of the Alabama Democratic Party, and a target of criticism from the state's Republican party and leadership.

He resigned that role in 2011, after Republicans took control of both chambers of the Alabama Legislature, which greatly diminished the influence of the AEA.

Born in Hubbertville, Alabama, Hubbert was an alumnus of the University of North Alabama, which at the time of his attendance, was named Florence State Teachers College.

He died in a Montgomery, Alabama hospital following complications of a fall October 6, 2014.[5] [6]

Notes and References

  1. News: AEA chief Paul Hubbert says he'll battle to keep charter schools out of Alabama. The Press-Register. Philips. Rena Havner. 2009-11-20.
  2. News: Bill allowing easier firing of teachers convicted of crimes gets bipartisan support. The Press-Register. Altman. George. 2009-10-09.
  3. Web site: WBHM. Charter School Politics. Yeager. Andrew. 2010-03-10. 2010-04-16. https://web.archive.org/web/20100514134527/http://wbhm.org/News/2010/charterschools-politics.html. 2010-05-14. dead.
  4. http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-2528 "Thus, AEA is probably one of the leading state education associations in the nation in terms of representing teachers without union representation, which is the case for many states outside the South."
  5. News: Paul Hubbert, longtime AEA head, dies at 78. Montgomery Advertiser. 2014-10-14. Bryan. Lyman.
  6. News: Former teacher lobbyist Paul Hubbert dies after fall. 2014-10-14. Thomas. Lower.