John Courage

City Council District 9 Councilman John Courage

Councilman Courage came to San Antonio for basic training after enlisting in the U.S. Air Force in 1971. He was honorably discharged four years later and enrolled in the University of Texas at San Antonio, working his way through school with jobs in a local children's home and the Bexar County Mental Health Department until he earned a BA in American Studies.

In 1980, Courage won election to the Alamo Community College District Board of Trustees in San Antonio. He quickly established a reputation as a fierce defender of access and accountability in our higher education system and helped create Palo Alto Community College to expand higher education opportunities to an area of the city that lacked them.

The councilman has served on the San Antonio Teachers' Council Board, been a delegate to the National Education Association's convention for many years, and testified before the Texas House of Representatives' Committee on Education and the State Board of Education. He was appointed to the San Antonio Literacy Commission and was involved in the establishment of literacy centers across San Antonio in the 1990s.

A married father of four, Councilman Courage and his wife are active members of their community. He has served as a Boy Scout troop leader and a sponsor of the Reconciliation Episcopal Church Youth Group, as well as a volunteer coach for community soccer and baseball leagues. In his spare time, the councilman is an avid Spurs fan and enjoys playing basketball to stay active.

Council Committee Assignments

Appointments

  • Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization
  • Investment Committee
  • Military Transformation Task Force