Jump to content

Joe Eddins

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Joe Eddins
Joe Eddins. He is older man, wearing glasses, and looking straight at the camera
Eddins in 2004
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
from the 6th district
In office
1995–2007
Preceded byGeorge Vaughn
Succeeded byChuck Hoskin
Personal details
Born (1934-10-07) October 7, 1934 (age 90)[1]
Muskogee, Oklahoma
Political partyDemocratic
Alma materUniversity of Oklahoma (B.A.)
Known forEstablishing universal preschool in Oklahoma

Joe T. Eddins[2] (born October 7, 1934[1]) is a retired American politician who served as a representative in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1995 to 2007.[3] Eddins is best known for helping implement universal preschool in a conservative state.[4][5]

Eddins graduated from the University of Oklahoma, earning a Bachelor of Arts. Before entering the Oklahoma House, he served on the Vinita city council and the Vinita school board. He was a cattleman for 25 years, and taught math and science to high school students.

Eddins first ran for election to the Oklahoma House in 1992, but was unsuccessful. He was elected in 1994, and reelected every two years until he was term-limited in 2006.[6] He was succeeded by fellow Democrat Chuck Hoskin.[7]

Early life

[edit]

Eddins was born on October 7, 1934, in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to Earl and Katherine Eddins.[1][8] He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Oklahoma in 1953,[1] and completed some graduate work at Northeastern State University.[9] He taught high school math and science for seven years,[10][11] and worked as a cattleman for 25 years.[11]

Political career

[edit]

Before his election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, Eddins served as a city councilman for Vinita, Oklahoma for two years, and was a member of the Vinita school board for three.[9] Eddins ran unsuccessfully to represent Oklahoma State House district 6 in 1992, but lost to incumbent George Vaughn in the primary election.[2][9][12] Vaughn retired before the 1994 Oklahoma House election, and Eddins won the race to succeed him with 52.3% of the general election vote.[11][13]

Universal preschool

[edit]

State schools in Oklahoma receive funding depending on the number of students enrolled. Due to Oklahoma's declining population, schools were experiencing decreased enrollment numbers, which lead to less state funding. To compensate for this loss, some Oklahoma schools were enrolling four-year-olds in kindergarten. Because kindergarten was intended for older children, the four-year-olds were struggling to learn.[5]

Eddins introduced legislation in 1998 to resolve this issue. He advertised his bill as preventing four year olds from enrolling in kindergarten, which it did. But he was relatively quiet about how it accomplished this objective: by funding schools to establish optional preschool for four year olds. It also gave school districts the ability to house preschool programs in different locations, such as "tribal programs, churches, and assisted-living facilities".[5] It allowed contracting with the private sector, which won support from Republicans.[5]

Enrollment is optional.[14] As of the 2016–2017 school year, 73% of four-year-olds in Oklahoma participate.[15]

Personal life

[edit]

Eddins has three sons with his wife, Suzanne.[11]

Election results

[edit]
Oklahoma's 6th House district Democratic primary, 1992[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Vaughn (incumbent) 3,811 54.1%
Democratic Joe Eddins 3,232 45.9%
Total votes 7,043 100%
Oklahoma's 6th House district, 1994[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Eddins 5,494 52.3
Republican Mike Roark 5,004 47.7
Total votes 10,498 100
Democratic hold
Oklahoma's 6th House district, 1996[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Eddins (incumbent) 6,915 52.6
Republican Jay Franklin 6,235 47.4
Total votes 13,150 100
Democratic hold
Oklahoma's 6th House district, 1998[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Eddins (incumbent) 6,439 64.6
Republican Wayne Jolly 3,532 35.4
Total votes 9,971 100
Democratic hold
Oklahoma's 6th House district, 2000[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Eddins (incumbent) 8,675 61.2
Republican Jim Dembowski 5,508 38.8
Total votes 14,183 100
Democratic hold
Oklahoma's 6th House district, 2002[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Eddins (incumbent) 6,614 61.9
Republican Chris Moore 4,070 38.1
Total votes 10,684 100
Democratic hold
Oklahoma's 6th House district, 2004[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Joe Eddins (incumbent) Unopposed
Democratic hold

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "House District 6". okhouse.gov. Archived from the original on November 8, 2004. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c Hinton, Mike (September 16, 1992). "Idabel Incumbent Loses Job in State Senate District 5". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 93. Retrieved May 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "All members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives" (PDF). okhouse.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 7, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  4. ^ "Pre-K for all in Oklahoma: Sooner is Better". Bridge Michigan. May 5, 2025. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Lerner, Sharon (December 4, 2012). "Pre-K on the Range". The American Prospect. Archived from the original on November 16, 2019. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  6. ^ "Candidate not discouraged". The Daily Oklahoman. June 7, 2006. p. 7. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "State House". Tulsa World. November 8, 2006. p. 4. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "District 6". The Daily Oklahoman. August 14, 1994. p. 127. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b c "House candidates profiled, questioned". Tulsa World. August 16, 1998. p. 54. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Eddins, Joe (May 27, 2005). "Test scores could shame kids". The Daily Oklahoman. p. 17. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ a b c d "Bernest Cain Makes Bid for Re-Election". The Daily Oklahoman. July 7, 1994. p. 43. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "State Representative Candidate Biographies". Tulsa World. October 27, 1996. p. 20. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ a b "State House". The Daily Oklahoman. November 10, 1994. p. 20. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Gormley, William T. Jr. (November 2005). "The Universal Pre-K Bandwagon". The Phi Delta Kappan. 87 (3): 247. ISSN 0031-7217. JSTOR 20441978. Retrieved May 10, 2025.
  15. ^ "Table 5.10. Percent and number of children enrolled in state prekindergarten programs, by state: 2016–17". National Center for Education Statistics. Archived from the original on March 29, 2025. Retrieved May 11, 2025.
  16. ^ "State Legislature: House". Tulsa World. November 6, 1996. p. 6. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "State Results: State House". Tulsa World. November 4, 1998. p. 4. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ^ "Oklahoma: House". Tulsa World. November 9, 2000. p. 7. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "State Legislature: House". Tulsa World. November 6, 2002. p. 8. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ^ "State House". Tulsa World. November 3, 2004. p. 9. Retrieved May 10, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Joe_Eddins&oldid=1290762652"