Retired St. Clair County Superintendent of Education Marie Manning (R) formally announced the launch of her campaign to represent District 6 on the Alabama State School board Wednesday.

“I’m running for the Alabama State School Board because I understand the importance of strong representation in Montgomery,” Manning stated. “My years of experience in public education as a superintendent, school board member, principal, assistant principal, librarian and teacher make me uniquely qualified to serve District 6. I’ll use those experiences and my conservative principles to help steer our state’s education policy.”

State School Board District 6 includes Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Cullman, Etowah, Marshall, St. Clair and Talladega counties.

Manning worked as a teacher, librarian, vice-principal and principal before becoming Superintendent of Education for the St. Clair County School System. Manning is currently a member of the St. Clair County Board of Education.

Manning has been married to St. Clair County Commission Chairman Paul Manning (R) for 41 years.

Marie is a longtime member of the St. Clair Republican Executive Committee where she has served as vice-chair. She is a graduate of Jacksonville State University. Marie Manning has been endorsed by the Alabama Farmers Federation.

District 6 Board of Education incumbent Cynthia Sanders McCarty (R) is not running for re-election.

Manning faces Priscilla Yother in the May 24 Republican Primary.

In 2019, the Alabama State Legislature voted to abolish the State Board of Education. They wanted to replace the elected board with a board appointed by the governor and legislature. The voters of Alabama rejected that proposed state constitutional amendment in 2020.

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