A First for the House

Maryam Khan ’14 made history this past spring by becoming the first Muslim member of the Connecticut House of Representatives. After just one month of campaigning, Khan won a special election on March 1 for the 5th House District of Windsor and Hartford and found herself headed to the General Assembly with an agenda emphasizing education. 

Khan’s political career began on Windsor’s Board of Education, where she served for four and a half years with a stint as vice president. Khan is a graduate of Windsor Public Schools, where her children are now students.

“I was attracted to the (Board of Education) because I would be actively involved in making decisions,” said Khan. She learned that much of the Board’s work was in implementing policies that came from the state level. She also observed varying levels of educational equity across Connecticut. When the House seat opened, Khan seized the opportunity. “I saw the seat as a way to change the quality of education in this state.”

Khan’s interest in education began as a college student. A transfer from Manchester Community College, Khan was attracted to Eastern for its education program as well as the small classes and campus size. “I knew everyone in my cohort,” said Khan, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a focus in early childhood education. “Eastern helped me to understand the scope of education. My psychology courses showed me how children learn and that there are many different learning styles.”

Following her election to the House, Khan took a job with Hartford Public Schools, focusing on special education at the high school level. Speaking to the training she received at Eastern, which developed her passion for special education, she said: “I understand why a student is acting a certain way, which allows me to connect with them and make our relationship easier.”

During the legislative session, it can be difficult for Khan to juggle her two jobs, but her teaching job has been accommodating and she does a lot of work on her own time. On a typical session day, Khan works at the school in the morning before the 11 a.m. session starts. From there, a bill is called and discussions can last anywhere from 10 minutes to five or six hours.

“You have to be in the building to vote,” said Khan. She likes to understand each bill ahead of the vote and takes the time to contact key members of her district to gauge how they feel about it and what the impact will be. “On a normal day, session ends around 4 or 5 p.m. Toward the end of session the days can last until midnight.”

Khan — also a member of the Aging Committee, the Committee on Children and the Joint Committee on Judiciary — remains committed to education. She hopes that as a state representative, she can change how education is funded. “For example, special education is not fully funded,” she said, adding that to improve education, towns are faced with the difficult decision to either raise taxes or have schools scrounge for money, a choice that often leads to programs being cut.

She sees other needs that impact her young constituents. At one of her campaign events, a student asked Khan why his neighborhood has so many liquor stores and so few libraries. Similarly, there is the matter of food deserts, which especially impact the North End of Hartford. Many of Khan’s students rely on the nearby convenience store for food, picking up chips and soda for breakfast on their way to school.

“The community is fighting to change that, and I have been brainstorming.” Khan helps her constituents by directing them to grants that can improve the neighborhood. “I want this to be a better state for our youth.”

As the first Muslim member of the House, Khan feels honored to represent this community. She is working to pull more people in and get them involved. “We all have to do it,” she said, adding that she hopes others see her and think, “if Maryam can do it, I can see myself doing it.”

Outside of politics, Khan has “three children who govern my life.” Khan’s personal reading focuses largely on schools and education, with some fiction books included for balance. Between her family, teaching, and her new role in the State House of Representatives, life can be hectic for Khan, but her passion for equity keeps her going. “There’s a lot that you can do at the state level. It’s a good place to be if you want to drive change.”