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.