Key Takeaways
- This morning South Carolina’s State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced that she will not seek re-election in 2022.
- The SCEA thanks Superintendent Spearman for her service as a public servant, including the office of State Superintendent of Education and her career as an educator.
- It is crucial that the next State Superintendent have experience as an educator and advocate for public education.
COLUMBIA – This morning South Carolina’s State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman announced that she will not seek re-election in 2022.
“We appreciate and thank Superintendent Spearman for her service to the children and educators of South Carolina in her many roles as a public servant, including the office of State Superintendent of Education and her career as an educator,” said Sherry East President of The South Carolina Education Association (The SCEA). “Superintendent Spearman has worked with The SCEA to give educators a seat at the table on issues like testing, evaluations, and school discipline.”
This announcement comes at a critical moment for public education in the state of South Carolina. While the pandemic has shed light on urgent inequities, working and learning condition issues in South Carolina are systemic and long-standing. Therefore, it is important that the next State Superintendent be a true expert with experience as an educator and advocate for public education.
“The SCEA is hopeful that a candidate with experience from the front lines, who has walked in the shoes of our educators, will run and be elected in 2022,” said President East. “The next State Superintendent of Education must understand and be ready to tackle the complex issues of education in our state and view issues in a children-first lens, understanding that working conditions for school staff are the learning conditions for South Carolina students.”
The SCEA will continue to advocate for high quality public education for all of South Carolina’s students, working with Superintendent Spearman for the remainder of her term. The SCEA also looks forward to making sure that educators and school staff continue to have a seat at the table in all decisions that impact public education in South Carolina.
The candidate filing for the post of State Superintendent of Education opens in March of 2022.
