“Our schools are the foundation of our community,” Holleman said. And investing in children early would be one of his major goals.
Holleman
After 22 minutes on stage Frank Holleman suddenly stopped his political speech in front of approximately 30 Winthrop University students and faculty members on Sept. 30. For the next few seconds silence filled the room.
But even this short light failure did not trip him up. As an active candidate for the position of state superintendent of education in South Carolina, Holleman presented his opinion about main issues like voucher and tax credits and early childhood education with a strong voice and upstanding posture.
Holleman competes against his four opponents – Mick Yais, Doretha Bull, Tim Moultier and Tony Fayyazi - to displace Jim Rex who lost the possition in 2010.
“Our community has a commitment to provide high public education,” Holleman said. He opposes voucher and tax credits because it takes funds away from the community public schools and diverts the community from the critical work to improve public education.
Johnathan Cruse is a 20-year-old mass communication student at Winthrop University. He wanted to know Hollemann’s opinion as opponent of school vouchers when it comes to families who have not enough money to send their children to private school and school vouchers are their only option to get private education for their children.
Holleman said that school vouchers are not an effective way to improve academic outcome. He would tell the family that tax credit would do no good for their situation since poor families do not pay income taxes. “So an income tax credit is worthless,” said Holleman.
For those who do pay income tax, Holleman said that it would be ineffective because they have to pay the tuition up front to claim the credit at the end. That is why it is not an effective intervention.
Holleman’s strong belief in public education is reflected in the education of his three children. Two have graduated from the Greenville County public schools, and one is a senior at Greenville High School. Holleman and his wife Anne, who accompanied him that night, are graduates of the public schools of Oconee County, S.C.
Holleman served as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education under former S.C. Governor and U.S. Secretary of Education Dick Riley. He has a long history in the field of public education. “I feel very deeply and strongly about public education,” said Holleman. “The strength of public education is not only the government but also the community.”
Other issues he discussed that night:
The importance of early childhood education
School building
Schools struggle financially
High School Graduation
Frank Holleman Website:
South Carolina Department of Education Website:
South Carolina States Election Commission Website:
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