{"id":14289,"date":"2018-11-02T16:12:11","date_gmt":"2018-11-02T20:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/?p=14289"},"modified":"2018-11-02T16:12:31","modified_gmt":"2018-11-02T20:12:31","slug":"education-on-the-ballot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/education-on-the-ballot\/","title":{"rendered":"Education on the ballot"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Molly Spearman, the current Superintendent of Education, is running unopposed in the upcoming election. On Wednesday she attended the bus tour kickoff event for Gov. Henry McMaster. Credit: T. Michael Boddie<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.92″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px” custom_margin=”10px|||” _builder_version=”3.0.92″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”3.17.3″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n

When voters go to the polls Tuesday, they may be electing the last state Superintendent of Education.<\/p>\n

Earlier this year, the state Legislature decided that it was time to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot to determine if the\u00a0 head of the Department of Education will continue to be elected or, in the future, be appointed by the governor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt took a very long time; it\u2019s been debated for about 60 years to actually even put it on the ballot,\u201d said Ryan Brown, chief communications officer for the S.C. Department of Education. \u201cTo pass it in the General Assembly, it takes a 2\/3 vote by both the House and Senate. It\u2019s on the ballot which is a good thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The current superintendent, Molly Spearman, who is running unopposed for a second term, believes the change will place more qualified people into the position. The change will take place in 2023.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sets qualifications for holding the office. Currently there is not a single qualification. If you\u2019re a South Carolina resident and 18 years of age, you can run and be the state superintendent,\u201d said Brown. \u201cThe qualifications that it [the amendment] requires now are minimum of a master\u2019s degree in either education or business, and extensive experience in working in a school or school district or in business, working with budgets, taxes and that kind of background.\u201d<\/p>\n

The governor would be directly accountable for education and prospective candidates will not have to raise money in order to run a campaign, Spearman believes.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ultimately believe that this will be a system that better serves students and that\u2019s what it\u2019s all about,\u201d said Brown.<\/p>\n

For former state Superintendent Inez Tenenbaum, this amendment has little to do with the power of the governor and more about putting education in the forefront of government.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you look at the agencies in the Governor\u2019s cabinet, they are just as large and complex as the Department of Education and no one has a problem with those positions being appointed,\u201d said Tenenbaum. \u201cI do think that the Department of Education ought to be in the governor\u2019s cabinet; it makes the governor accountable for education. Without it being in the governor\u2019s cabinet, some governors don\u2019t spend any time on education and initiatives.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not about power, it\u2019s about responsibility.\u201d\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What does the amendment say?
<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amendment 1<\/p>\n

Must Section 7, Article VI of the Constitution of this State, relating to state constitutional officers, be amended so as to provide that beginning in January 2023, or upon a vacancy in the office of Superintendent of Education after the date of the ratification of the provisions of this paragraph, whichever occurs first, the Superintendent of Education must be appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate; to provide that the appointed Superintendent of Education shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor; and to require the General Assembly to provide by law for the duties, compensation, and qualifications for the office?<\/p>\n

A \u2019Yes\u2019 vote: will require the Superintendent of Education be appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate.<\/p>\n

A \u2018No\u2019 vote: maintains the current method of electing a Superintendent of Education.<\/p>\n

Arguments<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes<\/p>\n