Biography

According to Suzanne M. Bourgoin on Student Resource Center –Gold, Sandra Day O’Connor was born in 1930 in El Paso, Texas. She was an American Supreme Court justice. In 1981 she became the first women as a justice for the United States Supreme Court. President Reagan nominated her in 1978. Sandra was a swing vote along with Anthony Kennedy. She strengthed women’s job opportunity rights by influencing in cases involving discrimination and harassment. She rode a school bus everyday to school. This was no ordinary school trip because it was 32 miles away. According to Elizabeth Wenning on student resource center gold She was raised on a large ranch called the lazy B. She said “Didn’t do all the things boys do.” She loved the outdoors and all sorts of physical exercises. According to Suzanne M. Bourgoin She completed high school and went to college at Standford University when she was only sixteen years old. O’Connor was put in the cowgirl hall of fame; she later received the Elliot Richardson public service prize. She failed to become a lawyer because she was a woman. Instead the only job you could get from being a Supreme Court justice was a secretary. In 1997 a suspected bomb was found on her doorstep. They found out later on that it was just a pair of tennis shoes the justice had sent. In 2006 she was named “the Americas best leaders.” “In 2009 a book was written by Sandra, but this was a character bringing home animals including Susie a stray dog.” She set up a lawyer referral service. She did volunteer work with several civic and charitable organizations. In 1965 she had a full time employment as Arizona’s assistant attorneys general. She played a major role in deciding cases dealing with controversial issues, death penalty, affirmative action, separation of church, state and abortion. According to Gale on Student Resource Center-Gold,when Reagan nominated O'Connor he broke a two hundred year tradition that kept women off the highest court. O'Connor realized she was in a a high position. She is " obligated to recognize that others have different views!"O'Connor was the oldest of three children. She is the daughter of Harry and Mae Day. She was raised in Southeastern Arizona. O'Connor soon had to move because the education opportunities were limited. She moved with her materal grandmother in El Paso, Texas. There she attended Radford school, a private school for girls. She graduated high school in 1946. She took a law course her senior year, she entered Standford law school in 1950 graduating two years later third in her school.While she was at Standford she meet John Jay O'Connor the third, whom she married soon after graduating. When her husband got into the army lawyer she followed him, being a army quartermaster corps. She devoted her life to raising three kids.While serving three terms in the senate, she became concerned with issues such as sex, discrimination and the problems of families living in poverty. She served 4 years as a trial judge. She earned a reputation as a " tough combined with genuine concern.In 1979 she was named to the court of Appeals by Governor Bruce Babbit where she was then concerned with issues such as divorces, bankruptcies, appeals from criminal conviction and tenant landlord disputes. She was known as a compassionate judge. She said there is "no balance.. it's all court.
1( "Bourgoin, Suzanne M. "O'Connor, Sandra Day (1930)." Student resource center-gold. 1998. Web. 24 Feb. 2010.
2(Penland, Dane. "Sandra Day O'Connor." World Book Online. Web. 25 Feb. 2010.
6( O'Connor, Sandra Day. Student resource center-gold.web. 2003. 2 Mar. 2010.