Elizabeth A. Davis, a fierce advocate for D.C. educators and the outspoken president of the Washington Teachers’ Union, died after the car she was driving crashed Sunday night in Prince George’s County.

Davis was fatally injured in the two-car crash in the Bowie area around 10:25 p.m., according to Maryland State Police. She was 70. 

Davis’ car, a 2014 Honda, was traveling south on Route 201 near Harbor Way when it struck a 2006 Toyota that was stopped at a traffic light from behind, police said. 

The driver of the Toyota, a 68-year-old man from Annapolis, Md., died at the scene, authorities said. Davis was transported to Prince George’s Hospital, where she later died.

Police said they are investigating the cause of the crash.

The union leader’s death stunned teachers, elected officials and education advocates, who remembered Davis for her tireless work ethic and deep commitment to improving the quality of education in the city.

Jacqueline Pogue Lyons, general vice president of the Washington Teachers’ Union, said Davis handed out her cell phone number freely and answered phone calls from teachers and others in the community at all hours of the day.

“There’s some people that just have that rare spirit in them that they can just turn on a dime,” said Pogue Lyons. “You could call her any time of the day or the night and nothing was too small for her to deal with it when it came to students and to teachers.” 

Pogue Lyons, who will become the union’s president until its next election, said Davis fostered talent in others and provided opportunities for people to grow into leadership positions. 

Davis’ career in D.C. Public Schools spanned four decades, and she taught at seven schools in the city. A longtime activist, she was first elected to lead the labor union in 2013. She positioned herself as a staunch advocate of neighborhood schools, campaigning against the closures of several campuses. 

Under her leadership, the union pushed for reforms to the way the city evaluates teacher performance, arguing the current process relies too heavily on students’ scores on standardized exams.

She is credited with transforming the teachers group into an organization that advocates for social justice causes. 

More recently, Davis steered the alliance of more than 5,000 educators through the coronavirus pandemic, arguing for more safety protections as the city pushed to reopen classrooms. 

She was a vocal critic of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s plans to bring more students back for in-person learning during the public health crisis, raising safety concerns  during reopening negotiations with school system officials.

Her candor placed her at odds with city leaders at times but earned the support of many teachers and education advocates.

Phyllis Ford-Berger, a social worker at Woodrow Wilson High School in Tenleytown, said Davis fought to keep teachers safe and pushed to equip students with digital devices for distance learning. 

Ford-Berger said she met Davis at a new employee orientation in the summer of 2019.

She said she did not know anyone at the event  and felt unsure about her new job. She spoke to Davis after the speech and became inspired to become an active member of the union to advocate for herself and others. 

“You see this person in front of you who has so much passion and so much strength and conviction,” she said. “She made us feel seen.” 

D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Lewis D. Ferebee called Davis’ death “unimaginable.” Ferebee and Davis often disagreed publicly but Ferebee said the union leader ended conversations with a reminder they shared similar intentions.

“As we collaborated to align on critical issues, she always had my deepest respect,” he said. “Ms. Davis worked passionately toward our shared goal of doing what’s best for students and staff.” 

Bowser said she was devastated by Davis’ death, calling the labor leader a champion for teachers and the school system.

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said Davis advocated for the school system’s rank and file. 

“Liz worked extremely hard to represent the working men and women of D.C. schools,” he said. “Her advocacy and zeal for excellence in education will be missed.”

The union leader valued people who worked hard and believed in empowering members, said Laura Fuchs, a social studies teacher at H.D. Woodson High School and a member of the group’s executive board. 

Davis sent Fuchs to training sessions and gave her books to read on labor organizing. Fuchs said she memorized Davis’ phone number because the union president, who was in her third term, offered it so often in public meetings. 

“She just lived it,” Fuchs said. “She was so passionate about the work and she knew it couldn’t wait.”