Standing on the Shoulders of Giants. Advocate, Lawyer and Mother - Totti Cohen

THE P&C FEDERATION’S HISTORY as advocates on the forefront of change and innovation is well known, but the names that built that story are less so. Reading copies of Parent and Citizen from the late 1960s to 1980s, you’ll be hard pressed to miss the name Totti Cohen, and you would be forgiven for double checking the dates. Ahead of her time, Cohen championed the voice of parents in public education with tenacity and vision.

TEOFILA “TOTTI” COHEN (5 March 1932 – 29 August 2010) was a trailblazing solicitor and a passionate advocate for public education in New South Wales. A first generation Australian born in Paddington, Sydney, Cohen’s academic brilliance was evident early. An esteemed alumna Paddington Primary and Woollahra Opportunity School, Parramatta High and Sydney Girls’ High School, Cohen held a deep gratitude for public education that continued with her throughout her life. “She always recognised that the State had given her the opportunity for tertiary education, lawyer at Minter Simpson (the biggest firm in Sydney at the time, later to merge to become top law firm Minter Ellison). Cohen’s 54 year legal career is something to behold and too rich a tale to do justice here - it would leave many of us speechless (something that as an awarded debating champion, it seems Cohen rarely was). and throughout her long and successful career she devoted much of her time to repaying that debt.” (online: https://de.respectance.co m/tribute/totti-cohen)

Cohen accepted a scholarship to the University of Sydney, where she completed degrees in Arts and Law. She took her first role as a solicitor at Jenkins & Harmer in 1956, and before blazing the trail as the first female lawyer at Minter Simpson (the biggest firm in Sydney at the time, later to merge to become top law firm Minter Ellison). Cohen’s 54 year legal career is something to behold and too rich a tale to do justice here - it would leave many of us speechless (something that as an awarded debating champion, it seems Cohen rarely was).

LIKE SO MANY parents today, Cohen joined her local P&C Association when her sons began primary school at Coogee PS - a P&C that continues to innovate and excel to this day. Cohen quickly escalated her advocacy to the district and council, and in 1973 she was elected to the role of president of the P&C Federation.

THE DIRECTION that Cohen set for the Federation demonstrates remarkable foresight. She is credited with transforming the organisation as representative of a new generation - a strong, modern voice for parents in public education from a working mother with an extensive and demanding career. She tirelessly advocated for greater parental participation in educational policy and decision-making not only at their local schools, but at all levels of government.

”Ministers for education and the NSW Education Department might at times have seen her as a mixed blessing but never again could the views of the federation be ignored.”

- Malcolm Brown ‘Cohen, Teofila (Totti) (1932–2010)’, Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/ obituary/cohen-teofila-totti-16852/text28748, accessed 9 January 2025.

UNDER HER LEADERSHIP the Federation became a key stakeholder in discussions with government officials and education authorities - a legacy that remains to this day. Her efforts significantly bolstered resources and funding for public schools, addressing systemic inequalities and improving educational opportunities for countless students. In a world where women faced significant challenges navigating evolving attitudes towards working mothers, and balancing societal expectations with professional and family obligations, Cohen’s ability to lead transformative change in public education is all the more striking.

IN 1969 SHE RAN FOR FEDERAL PARLIAMENT with no expectation of winning - instead, she aimed to redirect discourse around public education and influence great change on a platform of “State aid for State Schools”. “The percentage I will get will well illustrate the need for our aims,” she said. A reporter at the time said “’If a work has to be done, it will be done’ is her philosophy. She is the typical busy person who always finds time for some more work.” Truer words of a P&C volunteer have never been spoken.

Cohen’s contributions were widely recognised. Reading historic documents and first-hand accounts suggest she was a force to be reckoned with, with a deft hand and sense of humour. In her run for the Federal Election she spoke of the organisation that sponsored her: ‘DOGS’ or Defence of Government Schools. “DOGS? Yes... you know, dogs can bite.”

Cohen was the first parent representative on the Education Commission, on which she served until the body was wound up in 1987. That year she was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1987 (having already been made an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1978). “On being asked how she came by these Honours she often quipped that it was easier for the Government to give her a Gong than to pay her for the time and effort she put into the many committees on which she served.”

These honors highlighted her tireless work in advancing public education and community welfare.

After retiring from the P&C Federation in 1980, Cohen continued her public service, notably as chair of the NSW Privacy Committee from 1983 to 1993. Her work in this role underscored her commitment to protecting individual rights and fostering transparency.

TOTTI COHEN’S LEGACY as a reformer and advocate for equitable public education endures. Her leadership and vision inspired countless parents and educators, setting a standard for community involvement in shaping a better educational future for all.

Cohen continues to inspire generations of advocates in public education – a legacy that we are proud to build on as parents and as a Federation.