The president of the Washington Teachers’ Union was killed in a crash in Prince George’s County, Maryland, Sunday night.
Elizabeth Davis, 70, was driving south on Route 301 in the Bowie area when she collided with a car driven by John Starr, 68, of Annapolis near Harbor Way before 10:30 p.m., according to Maryland State Police.
Davis was taken to Prince George’s Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Starr died at the scene of the crash.
“President Davis has been at the forefront of public education advocacy and reform, leading the WTU’s transformation into a social justice, solution-driven organization dedicated to advancing and promoting quality education for all children, irrespective of their zip codes or results of the school lottery, improving teaching and learning conditions, and aggressively amplifying the voice of teachers in the dialogue around issues of teaching and learning,” the Washington Teachers’ Union said in a statement.
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D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser held a moment of silence for Davis at her press conference Monday.
“My thoughts and condolences are with Liz’s family and friends,” D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said in a statement. “It’s always unfortunate to lose someone. It is especially difficult when the death is an unexpected accident.”
Davis taught in D.C. Public Schools for more than four decades, according to the union.
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“Liz Davis was an intrepid, accomplished leader who led the educators and school staff of the District of Columbia admirably since 2013, including through their latest effort to reopen D.C. public schools safely and equitably” American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten said in a statement.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
