Rod Paige

Rod Paige
Rod Paige
7th United States Secretary of Education
	In office; January 20, 2001 – January 20, 2005
President	George W. Bush
Preceded by	Richard Riley
Succeeded by	Margaret Spellings
Superintendent of the Houston Independent School District
	In office; 1994–2001
Preceded by	Yvonne Gonzales (interim)
Succeeded by	Kaye Stripling (interim)
Personal details
Born	Roderick Raynor Paige; June 17, 1933; Monticello, Mississippi, U.S.
Died	December 9, 2025 (aged 92); Houston, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Gloria Crawford (m. 1956; div. 1982); Stephanie Nellons (m. 2009)
Children	2
Education	Jackson State University (BA); Indiana University Bloomington (MA, EdD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1955–1957

Roderick Raynor "Rod" Paige (June 17, 1933 – December 9, 2025) was an American politician and academic who served as the 7th United States Secretary of Education from 2001 to 2005. He was the first African American to serve as the nation's education chief.

Early life

Paige was born in Monticello, Mississippi. He earned a bachelor's degree from Jackson State University in Mississippi and a Master's degree and an Ed.D from Indiana University Bloomington. He also held an honorary doctoral degree from the University of Houston presented to him in 2000.

U.S. Secretary of Education

Paige was sitting with George W. Bush at the Emma E. Booker Elementary School in Sarasota, Florida, when Bush received the news that a second plane had hit the World Trade Center in the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In February 2004, Paige called the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, a "terrorist organization."^[1]

On November 15, 2004, Paige announced his resignation after overseeing the President's education agenda for four years. White House domestic policy adviser Margaret Spellings was nominated as his successor. The U.S. Senate confirmed her on January 20, 2005 after Bush's inauguration for a second term.

Death

Paige died on December 9, 2025 at his home in Houston, Texas at the age of 92.^[2]^[3]

References

↑ "Education chief calls union 'terrorist' group". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. February 24, 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2011 – via Boston.com.
↑ "Former U.S. Education Secretary, Houston ISD superintendent Dr. Rod Paige dies". Fox26Houston. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.
↑ "Rod Paige, Education Secretary Who Defended 'No Child Left Behind,' Dies at 92". The New York Times. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.

Other websites

Appearances on C-SPAN

[1] "Education chief calls union 'terrorist' group". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. February 24, 2004. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2011 – via Boston.com.

[2] "Former U.S. Education Secretary, Houston ISD superintendent Dr. Rod Paige dies". Fox26Houston. December 9, 2025. Retrieved December 9, 2025.

[NYTobit-3] "Rod Paige, Education Secretary Who Defended 'No Child Left Behind,' Dies at 92". The New York Times. December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 10, 2025.

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