![Kathy Maness and Patrick Kelly public policy forum Kathy Maness and Patrick Kelly public policy forum](https://my.lwv.org/sites/default/files/leagues/columbia-area/manessppl.png)
What Does Voting Have to Do with Public Education?
Public education in South Carolina is at a crossroads:
- Groups want to privatize the public education system
- Schools face critical teacher shortages
- Extremists seek to restrict curriculum and ban books
Two licensed and experienced public educators who often testify before legislative subcommittees will explain how elections affect public schools.
Kathy Maness is the Executive Director of Palmetto State Teachers Association and was formerly a Republican candidate for SC State Superintendent of Education. She a member of Lexington Town Council. In 2020 she was the first person from SC to be elected as the president of the National League of Cities.
Patrick Kelly serves as Director of Government Affairs for Palmetto State Teachers Association and continues working as a part-time secondary social studies teacher in Richland District Two. In addition, he has served on the Board of South Carolina's Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention, and Advancement and currently serves as a member of the National Assessment Governing Board.
Both of our speakers are graduates of the University of South Carolina where each of them earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in various aspects of education, and both have taught in our public schools.
The League of Women Voters of the Columbia Area invites you to join our speakers who will help answer this question on Thursday, October 20 from 5:30 – 6:30pm. Use the link below to register for this most important and informative session.