Rep. Jerry Govan Announces Run For SC Superintendent Of Education

COLUMBIA, SC

Orangeburg Representative Jerry Govan (D) has announced that he is running for state superintendent of education. Current Superintendent Molly Spearman announced that she would not be seeking a third term. Representative Govan currently sits on the Education and Public Works Committee and is a retired educator who has served in the house for 29 years.
Govan is a Native of Orangeburg and is the son of the late Roberta & Jerry N. Govan, He is married to the former Wanda E. Gibson of Estill, SC. They have four daughters, Shawntara, Jeri Nicole, Lawanda, Gabrielle and five grandchildren, Kamryn McKenzie, Tony Michael III, Tyler Mason, Taylor Matthew and Jasmine Mya. He and his wife are currently members of The Historic Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Orangeburg where he serves as an Associate Minister. He is a 1976 Graduate of Orangeburg-Wilkinson H.S. and a “proud” Alumnus of South Carolina State University where he received both his B.A. Degree in Political Science and a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Rep. Govan has a long track record of service to the community.
First elected to the South Carolina House in November 1992, Rep. Govan is the 2nd ranking member of the South Carolina House, and Chairman of the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, Rep. Govan is the first House member in the history of the Caucus to be elected twice as its Chair. In addition he is the Senior ranking member of the House Education & Public Works Committee, K-12 and Public Safety Sub-committees, State House Committee (Vice Chair) & House Operation & Management Committees (1st Vice Chair), and Ad Hoc committee on School Climate and Safety, a member of the National Conference of State Legislator’s Education Committee and a 2018 appointee to the Early Learning Opportunity Gaps Advisory Group and National Center for Dropout Prevention Advisory Board. Govan announced that he is closing this chapter on the house district seat, “This is about our children, and I think it’s indeed critical that we talk about issues, and not about politics,” said Govan. “I’m talking about things like rebuilding the trust between parents and educators, that’s a big issue right now. We need to prepare our kids for the future.” Republican Kathy Maness is the only other candidate to announce a run for the office to date.