Erica Cokley

This page was current at the end of the official's last term in office covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Erica Cokley

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Charleston County School District West Ashley (Historical)

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Education

Associate

Strayer University, 2013

Personal

Birthplace

Columbia, S.C.

Profession

Assistant manager and business owner

Erica Cokley was a member of the Charleston County School District school board in South Carolina, representing West Ashley District. She assumed office on November 16, 2020. She left office on November 18, 2022.

Cokley ran for re-election to the Charleston County School District school board to represent District 6 in South Carolina. She won in the general election on November 8, 2022. Cokley unofficially withdrew from the race but appeared on the general election ballot on November 8, 2022.

Biography

Erica Cokley was born in Columbia, South Carolina. She earned an associate degree from Strayer University in 2013. Her professional experience includes working as an assistant manager and business owner. She has been affiliated with Voices United, the Wayln Heart Team, Moms Demand Action, We Are Their Voices, Low Country Youth Resistance, and Low Country Youth Alliance.

Elections

2022

See also: Charleston County School District, South Carolina, elections (2022)

General election

General election for Charleston County School District school board, District 6

Incumbent Erica Cokley (Unofficially withdrew) defeated Lee Runyon, Eric Thome, and Samuel Whatley II in the general election for Charleston County School District school board, District 6 on November 8, 2022.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Erica Cokley (Nonpartisan) (Unofficially withdrew)	34.4	3,453
	Submit photo	Lee Runyon (Nonpartisan)	30.9	3,098
		Eric Thome (Nonpartisan)	27.5	2,757
	Submit photo	Samuel Whatley II (Nonpartisan)	6.5	650
		Other/Write-in votes	0.7	68

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 10,026
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
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2020

See also: Charleston County School District, South Carolina, elections (2020)

General election

General election for Charleston County School District West Ashley (Historical) (2 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Charleston County School District West Ashley (Historical) on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Erica Cokley (Nonpartisan)	23.1	53,128
✔	Submit photo	Helen Davis Frazier (Nonpartisan)	15.8	36,500
		Chris Fraser (Nonpartisan)	15.8	36,342
		Francis Beylotte III (Nonpartisan)	14.0	32,236
		Hunter Schimpff (Nonpartisan)	13.2	30,421
	Submit photo	John Prioleau Sr. (Nonpartisan)	9.0	20,650
	Submit photo	Charles Glover Sr. (Nonpartisan)	8.6	19,878
		Other/Write-in votes	0.5	1,236

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	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 230,391
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

Campaign themes

2022

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Erica Cokley did not complete Ballotpedia's 2022 Candidate Connection survey.

2020

Erica Cokley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cokley's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

Expand all | Collapse all

Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a mother of 3 children and an entrepreneur. I enjoy volunteering and giving back to the community and enjoy music. I am a people person and love to talk and meet new people. I'm outgoing and energetic and feel if you give a smile, you will always get one in return. I graduated from Brookland Cayce High School in 1998 and received my Associates degree from Strayer University in 2013 in Business Management.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Equity
• Quality
• Community Driven

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

The areas of public policy I am most passionate about are the policies that address the long standing racial disparities that most of the communities of color suffer. I am also passionate about any and all policies that govern the allocation of funds and resources and those policies that oversee the privatization of our public schools.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

The basic characteristics or principles of an elected official should be that of humanity ,accountability, trustworthy, and well rounded. A person of true character with beliefs and understanding of right and wrong and a person who not only talks, but one whom had also lived and experienced the necessary changes being sought.

What legacy would you like to leave?

The legacy I would like to leave behind, would be to show people, especially parents and kids, that sometimes we have to step out our comfort zone and use our personal experiences as the knowledge needed to overcome what some thought were impossible. Education goes beyond books. Education is empowerment backed by being aware of everything around us.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My first job was at Hardee's. I got this job a day after I had turned sixteen. I became a shift leader at seventeen and remained employed for six years.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

I would be superwoman and eradicate all the things that make this world bad and unsafe, especially for our children.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

I believe that the primary job of the school board representative is to adhere to the people, teachers and students, of the communities in which they serve. They are the direct contact between the people and the elected officials that oversee the practices and funding sources for our education system and the students, families and staff they represent.

Who are your constituents?

The current constituent members are Rodney Lewis( chair), Cynthia Anderson (vice chair), David Bell ( secretary), Jennifer Osteen and Daron Lee Calhoun II.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

I would support the diverse needs by accommodating them accordingly. Having elected officials in place that are able to recognize and understand the needs of the community. Hiring staff that are of different gender and ethnic backgrounds, is another way to address the diverse needs of the community, along with hiring within the communities being served.

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

I would continue to build relationships within the communities by way of community relations and networking opportunities already formed under my nonprofit organization . I would specifically target those sought for the betterment of impoverished and low income communities and those seeking to help those with disabilities. I would also continue to seek and collaborate with organizations that provide mentoring and college readiness skills, and those that do work pertaining to mental and social awareness and education.

What will you do to build a better relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?

As I have stated previously, I would continue to utilize my nonprofit organization as a platform to give back and build relationships with children, parents and those of the community.
By having more available resources and adequately trained staff to educate parents on the issues we are facing, brings on more of a sense of empowerment that should make parents want to be more involved. I believe that we do need to set in place standards of accountability on parents and guardians involved in the children's education and hold them accountable first and foremost.

Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying the district’s faculty, staff, and administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?

I do believe it is important to recruit staff and faculty that are diverse in ethnicity and gender. However I also believe it's important that the staff and faculty as well as administration, are equal representations of the communities being served.

We would adhere to this by hiring those within the communities and local surrounding communities.

What issues get in the way of quality education? How would you address these obstacles?

The issues that continue to have an affect on quality education are the racial disparities that are clear and present within the system yet go unaddressed or unchanged. The misdirected funds and resource allocation in reference to critical areas of need and support along with the biased disciplinary actions. Also outside sources of funding and management are also critical issues affecting quality education.
We address the issues by allowing those affected by the current issues be the voice behind the solutions and outcomes .

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

Good teaching educates others beyond what is being taught and understands that no 2 people learn the same. Good teaching also inspires someone else.

I will support advanced teaching approaches by advocacy and participation. Having a child with a learning disability deepens my awareness and understanding that advanced measures are needed for staff as well as parents. The importance of continuing education and learning allows for better understanding and measurable ways to better assist the needs of our youth and teachers.

What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?

Skills that will allow them to be successful in life as well as the workforce. The skill level of our students in the 21st century need to match the technological needs and advancement of the next generation.

How might you improve the value of a high school diploma? What should a 21st century diploma reflect?

The value of the high school diploma can be increased by matching it to the skill level reached of the persons receiving them.
The 21st century diploma should reflect the resilience of the students and their willingness to still succeed and survive

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

The areas of advanced education would include socio- emotional learning for parents and educators. Innovative programs would include more apprenticeship programs and trade programs along with mentoring programs and community programs that will collectively implement and design ways to improve critical areas of learning and behavior.

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

The plans or strategies to ensure proper funding fall in line with my other beliefs in terms of our students education,. By involving those directly impacted by the needs of the resources and allowing the board members to ensure the fund are properly allocated and used as so by the people and for the people.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

My own personal experiences and values in regards to not only the safety of our students, but also the faculty and administrations safety drives me to ensure that safety is always top priority. By having my own children be part of this education system also deepens my sense of and for effective safety measures.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

I would support the mental health needs and challenge by addressing the need for the adequate appropriations of funds. We do this by hiring more mental health guidance counselors and educators and less student resource officers. Also by the reallocation of funding to address other issues such as class sizes and teacher resources that are equivalent to the needs of the community and children within it.

What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?

The role of technology has already been a part of our lives and in education. This entire pandemic set us all into an era of learning that in some cases, has already been embarked upon. As always SC is the last and our children have suffered the consequences. Technology will continue to modernize and continue to be a platform needed to advance, work, and in some cases, communicate.
The pandemic recovery is preparation for what should have already been.

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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