State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville): "It's not about politics"

Featured guest: 

State Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville)State Representative Gayle Manning is currently serving her second term in the Ohio House of Representatives, after serving two four-year terms in the Ohio Senate where she was elected to the Leadership Team as Majority Whip. She represents the 55th Ohio House District, which encompasses a portion of Lorain County.
Prior to her time in the House and Senate, Manning spent 37 years as an elementary school teacher. Representative Manning served as a member of the North Ridgeville Planning Commission and on the North Ridgeville City Council from 2006-2007, where she was appointed Finance Chairwoman and Council President Pro Tempore.
During her time in state government, Manning has had the opportunity to utilize her extensive experience as an educator, as well as her understanding of local governments and small businesses, to champion and support numerous bills and initiatives. In the Senate, she served as Vice Chair of the Finance Committee, responsible for vetting the operating budget, which allocates funding for the state, including for schools and various projects in communities across Ohio.
Manning earned numerous awards and citations for her work as an elementary school teacher in the North Olmsted City School system, including being named Educator of the Year by the North Olmsted PTA Council and the Teacher in American Enterprise Award from the Ohio Council on Economic Education. Click here to learn more about the bills Rep. Manning is currently sponsoring or cosponsoring

In this episode:

"The job as a teacher is much more difficult, but so much more rewarding, and I valued every day in the classroom."1:30 - Manning's path to the state legislature3:00 - How the experience in the classroom has shaped her experience in the legislature and the art of the "sandwich effect"'6:00 - Serving as the chair of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee8:00 - Accepting input and working to add amendments9:15 - "To me, it's not about politics, it's not what's best for Republicans or Democrats, best for someone to get reelected. Those things shouldn't play a role. What should play a role is, will this help our students in our classrooms?"10:25 - Compromising on the third grade guarantee13:00 - Getting House Bill 67 passed, providing needed flexibility on spring standardized tests17:00 - Striving for report card reform 18:45 - Working to address the state takeover law"Being a third grade teacher, I always got my way in the classroom... but all of the sudden you have to compromise, and compromise is not a bad word."

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The Ohio Education Association represents more than 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May, 2020, after a ten-year career as a television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. 

This episode was recorded in late March, 2021.