Sandra Day O’Connor, born in El Paso, Texas, remains a point of civic pride for the community that celebrated her achievements, particularly as the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1996, O’Connor attended her 50th high school reunion at Austin High School in El Paso, reconnecting with former classmates and reflecting on her time in the city. Known for her fiery spirit and natural leadership during high school, O’Connor’s journey from Texas to becoming a Supreme Court justice is a source of inspiration.
Born on March 26, 1930, in El Paso, O’Connor spent her childhood splitting time between Texas and Arizona, growing up on the Lazy B Ranch in southeast Arizona. After graduating sixth in her class from Austin High in 1946, she attended Stanford University, where she earned a degree in economics. Following Stanford, O’Connor attended Stanford Law School, where she met her future husband and finished among the top in her class.
O’Connor returned to Arizona, becoming involved in Republican politics and serving as a state senator. She made history in 1972 as the first woman to hold the position of senate majority leader in any state. Her political career continued with a state judgeship and an appointment to the Arizona Court of Appeals.
In 1981, President Ronald Reagan nominated O’Connor for the Supreme Court, and she was unanimously confirmed by the Senate, serving for 25 years. Known as a moderate “swing vote,” O’Connor was a vocal advocate for equal protection under the law. One of her notable opinions was in the case Lawrence v. Texas, where she struck down the state’s sodomy law, stating that it “brands all homosexuals as criminals.”
Texans take pride in Sandra Day O’Connor ties to the state, with her induction into the Texas Women’s Hall of Fame in 2008 and the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 2002. Multiple schools in Texas are named after her, including the criminal justice magnet school housed in her alma mater, Austin High.
Governor Greg Abbott expressed condolences on O’Connor’s passing, highlighting her trailblazing legacy as the country’s first woman on the Supreme Court. State Rep. Eddie Morales, Jr., encouraged prayers for the O’Connor family, remembering her commitment to the law and the U.S. Constitution as a lasting legacy for generations to come. Source thedailycourierng news