Juanita "Mama T" Thibeaux was a stalwart of Lafayette Parish education, serving as a substitute teacher long after she retired as one of the first Black principals in the district. She died Saturday at the age of 86, but not without leaving a legacy.
"Mama T, words cannot describe how loved she was by our school — staff and students," said Leslie Sisk, secretary at David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy. "She held a special place in every one of our hearts."
Thibeaux often served as a substitute at the school until retiring (again) in 2019.
"Wherever we needed her, she was there," Sisk said. "We didn't just see her as a substitute; we saw her as Mama T. She saw us all as her babies."