A hot debate going on right now in SC is WHO one should vote for in the upcoming Republican Primary run off on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, for SC Superintendent of Education.
The two candidates running for the Republican Candidate Primary are Ellen Weaver, the Chairman of The Education Oversight Committee and Kathy Maness, the Executive Director of the Palmetto State Teachers Association.
One would think their backgrounds in leadership would clearly qualify them to be the catalyst for improving our SC government run education system. And that either candidate would be the change we want to see as Republicans. However, it is my opinion, as a lifelong voting Republican conservative retired veteran 29-year first grade teacher with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education, both of these candidates have plenty of experience in NOT improving the quality of government run education policy in South Carolina.
Both have been in educational leadership positions to have actually made a difference in improving the outcomes of our k-12 government run school system so that conservative parents have more confidence in their child receiving a quality education in SC. But have they?
Ellen Weaver
Let’s start by my views on why Ellen Weaver’s qualifications and experience and what she’s done with her experience and skills makes her a wrong candidate and would give me pause in voting for her.
Ellen Weaver
Ellen has stated publicly that she is opposed to Common Core Standards (CCS), Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social Emotional Learning (SEL), mask and jab mandates. She has also stated she is a strong advocate for school choice and is in favor of restoring parental authority to direct their child’s education. But remember the old adage, “You can’t just talk the talk, you got to walk the walk?” Let’s take a look at her actions not just her rhetoric.
Ellen claims she is opposed to CCS, CRT, and SEL when used to promote CRT tenets; however, as a 6 year member of the appointed powerful SC Education Oversight Committee (EOC) responsible for making recommendations to our SC State Board of Education and our SC State Superintendent while serving as the Chairman of this committee, she has made NO attempts to address the replacement of our present 90% in line with Common Core Standards which were just re-branded as SC College Career Ready Standards and their aligned assessments. It is a fact Common Core Standards have been a dismal failure in improving educational outcomes, but yet our SC standards are still in alignment with those failed standards. Have you heard Ellen say we need to return to more traditional, classical standards and that she will spearhead that change needed? I haven’t. Maybe you should ask her. And while asking her that, also ask her if she will spearhead the end of the SC Dept of Education’s partnership with liberal run CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) whose vision states, “We envision all children and adults as self-aware, caring, responsible, engaged, and lifelong learners who work together to achieve goals and create a more inclusive, just, and equitable world.”
She also actually approved of the Community Block Grants program criteria for applicants to model a Social Emotional Learning (SEL) program for 0–5-year-old. Yes, you heard me right, zero… (meaning from babies). Accepting funds to start molding YOUR child from birth to the state’s values, attitudes and beliefs, NOT your values, attitudes and beliefs.
Ellen has also approved of the EOC Executive Director being “trained” through the Riley Institute’s Diversity Leaders Initiative that immerses its trainees in Biden’s diversity, equity, and inclusion, and whose trainer is quoted on their website talking about the “murder” of thug George Floyd and saying there is a heightened awareness of the reality of systemic racism in our country.
Please further consider reading this article published in the New American magazine in 2018 about the organization, Palmetto Promise Institute, Ellen Weaver founded and directs to learn more about her questionable actions as a leader.
https://thenewamerican.com/truth-be-told/
Kathy Maness
Now let’s take a look at my views on the other candidate, Kathy Maness, and why her qualifications and experience make her a wrong candidate.
Kathy Maness
Kathy claims she is a conservative Republican and is campaigning on that premise.
However, she is paid to lead the SC Teacher’s Association which in reality is aligned to the liberal teacher unions. She says she’s a Republican but opposes School Choice for parents. She claims she’s a Republican but yet supports Universal Mask Mandates as a town councilwoman. And was not against supporting masking children in our schools. She claims she’s a conservative but yet was praised by Socialist Democrat liberal Nancy Pelosi and Kamala Harris and actually campaigned for Joe Biden’s $1 trillion spending bill in 2021. Don’t you think she sounds more like a TRANSREPUBLICAN? By that I mean, she really is a Democrat but “identifies” as a Republican.
Please further your knowledge about Kathy Maness by viewing this recent video link:
Folks, it is definitely a dilemma on who deserves your vote.
My question is, will either candidate actually make any difference in what is going on in our failing government run education system in SC?
Far too often in Republican Primary run off situations, we are faced with trying to pick the candidate who is less wrong than the other one… is that really a good choice?
Bottom line in my opinion, if one is told to vote their conscience… then my conscience is telling me to sit this vote out. I know many will say to not vote is to vote… but if I vote for either of these candidates, I am saying I think they will lead us in the RIGHT direction… their backgrounds show me that they won’t… their actions show me that they won’t… so in my mind if I vote for either we lose.
My question is by voting for Ellen, are we telling the Republican Party establishment that we are okay with once again choosing the lesser of two evils. And by voting for Kathy are we telling the Republican Party establishment we are okay with once again allowing a RINO to be in our runoffs?
I’m still debating with myself as to whether or not I can in good conscience vote for either of these wrong candidates for SC Superintendent of Education, because two wrongs don’t make a right.
Johnnelle Raines is a retired public school teacher of 29 years in the classroom. She is also a Board Member of the United States Parents Involved in Education (USPIE).
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