Andrea Patton was a beloved educator, journalist, mentor, and inspiration to anyone who knew her. 

“She was the first openly queer teacher, let alone lesbian teacher, that I had,” said Julia Neves, senior at Ida B. Wells High School. “So I think that was very impactful to me with being proud of my identity and being kind of loud about my identity. Because she did that.” 

“She was an immensely supportive person,” said Joy Root, English and Italian teacher at IBW. “I think both to me and to her students but certainly she was always a person who was willing to work through any problem or situation, talk through things, always kind of looking for the best outcome and yet able to see the reality of situations, which is an impressive combination.” 

Patton began teaching at Ida B. Wells High School in 2019 and in 2020, she was at the forefront of rebranding the school newspaper to be in line with the trailblazing journalist the school was named after. From there she continued to inspire and connect with her students and her absence was felt tremendously when she was diagnosed with cancer on March 29, 2022. Sadly, Patton passed away on July 6, 2022. 

Patton’s loss was felt by all who knew her and throughout the IBW community. Returning to school in the fall of 2022 brought forth an emptiness and sadness for those who were connected to her. There was a new teacher in room 128 and a new school year that had to continue but Patton’s memory was not forgotten. 

On March 8, 2023, there was a memorial held in the IBW library that brought many people together in remembrance of their cherished teacher, colleague and friend. 

“I remember feeling very special in her class and not specifically me, just like the atmosphere of it,” said Emily Radtke, a senior at IBW and former English student of Patton’s. 

Neves was another one of Patton’s English students during her sophomore year. “[She] created a safe place for me personally, I’m a lesbian, I’m a queer student and seeing someone who was also a lesbian in a teaching role and getting closer to her over the year and also we had a lot of the same passions,” she said.  

Last May, Neves started working on a project to honor Patton by refurbishing an older bench to memorialize her. “I have always loved memorial benches,” Neves said. “I think that they’re really sweet. Not only because it’s memorializing someone but also I think it’s cool because it’s functional, like it’s something you can use.” 

At the end of the 2022-23 school year, Neves had finished the memorial bench. However, it wouldn’t be until the following fall that it would get displayed. Neves said that Ayesha Coning and Erika Caldwell both supported the project and worked with her in figuring out the best place to display it. In the end, the bench was placed in the doorway across from the front offices. Currently, there is an ongoing conversation about moving the placement of the bench to be in a more prominent location. 

“It’s really cool because when I come in that door every day, most of the time I see someone sitting in it,” Neves said. “It’s really, really impactful. I like to see my impact that was inspired by her impact, it’s just really, really sweet.”

Patton’s legacy lives past the bench with her name on it and beyond the walls of Ida B. Wells High School. She lives on in the lives and hearts of everyone who knew her. 

“I’ve carried that with me, to kind of be unapologetic about who I am,” Neves said. 

“Speaking truth to power was something that was essential to her and we shared that and I try to keep that alive,” Root said. “And she was fearless, I try not to be afraid.”

When Patton first took her leave of absence in March of 2022, Radtke started making drawings of Patton on her whiteboard. “I started making these really big drawings of her when she first left so there would just be her face on the whiteboard in class,” Radtke said. These drawings kept Patton’s presence in her classroom even though she was no longer there.

Even after her passing, Patton’s legacy could never truly be lost. Root said that during the Portland Association of Teachers (PAT) strike this past November, she kept Patton in mind. She said, “She definitely would have been standing on the line with us, very passionately.” 

“There was a day before we went on strike, that was kind of like a pre-action where we were out front over in Hillsdale,” said Root. “And I wore a blue beret to bring her with me.” 

Before going into teaching, Patton was a journalist and she brought her passion to the journalism program at IBW. Rebranding the school newspaper from The Horse to The Headlight to honor the school’s new namesake, Ida B. Wells. She inspired her students through her dedication and empathy and continues to influence The Headlight today. 

The Patton Pages was a newspaper created by The Headlight in 2023 to honor their late advisor. During Patton’s memorial, newspapers were distributed featuring social justice issues that were most important to Patton. Now, the “Patton Pages” is a continuous section of The Headlight website where social justice and advocacy articles are published. 

While the majority of the students Patton taught in her English 3-4 class will be graduating this spring, her legacy will not be forgotten. Neves’ memorial bench will remain in the main hallway adjacent to the office and The Headlight will continue to contribute to its “Patton Pages” section. There is also a scholarship that was made in her honor during the 2022-23 school year for aspiring journalists that will continue for graduating seniors this year.  

Root said, “The thing that sticks out a lot with her in repeated memories was just her amazing laugh that would just burst forth from her and that was a precious gift.”