The state school superintendent is an elected official who typically operates under the radar with the public.
Not as of late.
The politicization of education issues, such as how race is taught in schools, participation of transgender students in school athletic programs and the inclusion of sexually explicit books in school libraries, has thrust the superintendent into the spotlight.
All the attention paid the post in recent years has drawn a deep field of candidates for the 2022 election.
The incumbent, Republican Richard Woods, is facing a GOP primary challenger while four Democrats vie for that party's nomination.
Credit: Tom Hawley, The Monroe News
Credit: Tom Hawley, The Monroe News
That primary will be held on May 24, with early voting beginning May 2.
Here’s a look at the candidates for state school superintendent.
Republican Richard Woods (incumbent)
Woods is in his second term in the post. He is a former Georgia public school teacher and administrator, spending 14 years in the classroom. He wants to close COVID-related learning gaps, promote teacher retention and increase graduation rates.
Credit: Richard Woods
Credit: Richard Woods
Republican John Barge
Barge previously held the state school superintendent's post for one term, losing to Woods in the 2014 primary. He is campaigning against a school environment where "ideologies and things that are creeping" into schools, which he says distract educators from their core mission of reading, writing and arithmetic.
Credit: John DeSantis
Credit: John DeSantis
Democrat Jaha Howard
A member of the Cobb County School Board, Howard has criticized the "manufactured CRT outrage" around Georgia schools. Howard works as a pediatric dentist. His priority is to collaborate with "organizations and other strategic partners that can supplement needed resources" in Georgia's schools.
Credit: Jaha Howard
Credit: Jaha Howard
Democrat Currey Hitchens
An attorney from Decatur, Hitchens is a vocal critic of the Georgia General Assembly for "trying to control teachers and maintain a status quo of inequality and inequity in Georgia through its schools," a reference to several recent legislative measures, such as the Parents' Bill of Rights.
Credit: Currey Hitchens
Credit: Currey Hitchens
Democrat James Morrow Jr.
This Clayton County school teacher is the regional director for the Association of Professional Educators. His focus is on supporting teachers, who he says are "mentally, physically, verbally and emotionally abused by students, by parents and sometimes by administrators."
Credit: James Morrow Jr.
Credit: James Morrow Jr.
Democrat Alisha Thomas Searcy
The former six-term Georgia House member and charter school operator now works as an education leadership consultant. Searcy values "student success and parent empowerment."
Credit: Alisha Thomas Searcy
Credit: Alisha Thomas Searcy
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Who is running for Georgia state school superintendent?
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