Ellen Weaver (born March 26,1979)[1] is a Republican politician and former conservative think-tank leader[2] who has served as South Carolina Superintendent of Education since January 11,2023. She defeated fusion candidate and current educator Lisa Ellis in the general election in November 2022. She is the former president and CEO of the Palmetto Promise Institute,a conservative think tank in South Carolina which supports public funding of private schools.[3] Weaver has been cited as an example of a rising partisan politicization of the role of school superintendents,and has focused public statements on denouncing gender-affirming care,"critical race theory," and "woke indoctrination".[4]
Weaver attended a private Christian school until fifth grade,and then was homeschooled by her mother until eleventh grade. She attended a public high school for her last two years of secondary education.[5] Weaver graduated from Bob Jones University in Greenville,South Carolina. She worked for SenatorJim DeMint.[6] Weaver,along with Senator DeMint,founded the Palmetto Promise Institute,a conservative think tank. Weaver served as the president of the institution until her election.[7] The group's current president and CEO,Wendy Damron,[8] donated a total of $1,500 to Weaver's campaign,according to State Ethics filings.[9] Weaver served as a non-elected member of the Education Oversight Committee for the South Carolina General Assembly.[10] Weaver served as the founder and chief executive officer of Palmetto Promise Institute.[11]
Political career
Weaver was appointed to the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee in 2018,becoming the chair of the organization in February 2019.[12] She held the position for two years until her resignation in 2021,though she remains on the board. She succeeded Neil Robinson in 2019,who succeeded her in 2021.
In contrast to her runoff and general election opponents,who have received mostly small single-donor contributions,Weaver has received large contributions,including from out-of-state pro-school choice supporters. Her campaign received support in the form of $750,000 in attack ads paid for by Pennsylvania billionaire Jeff Yass' Super PAC,School Freedom Fund. The ads boosted Weaver's claims that Maness was a "liberal" by using out-of-context clips of Democrats introducing Maness at conferences.[23][24] She also received donations from a number of administrators and faculty members at Bob Jones University,the school which granted her the master's degree required for her to take office.[25]
During the primary runoff campaign,Weaver accused her challenger,Kathy Maness,of not being conservative enough to serve as an elected Republican. Weaver said,"we have a clear choice between a proven America-first conservative and my opponent,whose face could be on Wikipedia next to Republican in Name Only."[26] Maness reacted by arguing that Weaver lacked appropriate credentials to serve as superintendent of education.
In the Republican primary,Kathy Maness placed first with 31% of the vote. Weaver was in second place with 23% of the vote. Because no candidate received 50% of the vote,a runoff election was held two weeks later. Weaver defeated Maness in the Republican primary runoff on June 28,2022.[27]
In the general election,she defeated fusion candidate Lisa Ellis. She became the 18th South Carolina superintendent of education on January 11,2023.[28]
Beliefs
She has argued that the teaching of critical race theory is a major threat to South Carolina's school system,citing it as "woke Washington ideology."[29] According to the South Carolina Department of Education and school district officials,critical race theory is not systematically taught or funded in SC public schools,and has not been taught in the past.[30] But Weaver maintains that critical race theory is taught in South Carolina schools after hearing complaints from teachers and parents. In the 2022 debate for state superintendent of education,Weaver stated that she rejects the "woke ideology" of KimberléCrenshaw and Ibram X. Kendi.[31]
During her campaign,Weaver argued that parents,not teachers,maintain the right to guide their children through mental,physical,and health-related decisions.[10] Weaver is a strong advocate of school choice and supports providing education scholarship accounts (see school voucher) to subsidize private or charter school tuition.[10][11][32] In a high-profile example of Weaver's support for public funding subsidizing private school tuition,the South Carolina Supreme Court determined that South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster's SAFE Grants,which were promoted publicly by Weaver and the Palmetto Promise Institute,were a violation of the state constitution's prohibition against state funds being used to fund private schools.[33][34]
During her campaign,Weaver participated in an event with representatives of Moms for Liberty and a local podcaster,who was present at the January 6 insurrection and participated in an event featuring members of the Proud Boys,in which she repeated her concerns about "woke indoctrination" and suggested she might reject federal Department of Education funding to South Carolina as Superintendent.[35]
Weaver participates in a panel discussion at the 2023 Moms for Liberty Joyful Warriors Summit. Also pictured:Oklahoma Superintendent Ryan Walters (politician).
Since her election,Weaver ended a 50-year relationship with the South Carolina Association of School Librarians.[36] In her letter to the association,she criticized librarians for testifying before a state committee tasked with recruiting and retaining educators.[37] She has also associated herself with the group Moms for Liberty,speaking at a panel during their Summer 2023 "Joyful Warriors" conference[38][39] and tweeting,"I'm always proud to stand with parents. @Moms4Liberty."[40] She introduced a controversial "book ban" regulation (see Book censorship in the United States) which is currently being considered by the South Carolina Legislature,[41] in keeping with statements she has made in the past against the "radical woke left" and an alleged plan to use content to impact "the hearts and minds of our young people".[40]
An event led by Weaver required South Carolina Department of Education employees to respond to a prompt reading,"I believe it is essential for SCDE to provide ________ for every child to reach their full,God-given potential," which one attorney stated was a violation of the First Amendment.[42]
Weaver has called on South Carolina school districts to ignore federal Title IX guidance aimed at protecting students from discrimination based on gender identity. [43]
Electoral history
South Carolina Superintendent of Education Republican Primary Election,2022[44]
1 2 Since no candidate received over 50% of the vote, Maness and Weaver faced each other in a runoff election.
↑ Ellis ran as both a candidate for the Democratic and Alliance parties. Her vote total is a combination of votes cast for both parties.
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