It’s the 12 Days of Ballotpedia! Your gift powers the trusted, unbiased information voters need heading into 2026. Donate now!
Patricia Ashford Manley
Patricia Ashford Manley was an at-large member of the Ann Arbor Board of Education in Michigan. Manley assumed office in 2014. Manley left office in 2018.
Manley ran for re-election for an at-large seat of the Ann Arbor Board of Education in Michigan. Manley lost in the general election on November 6, 2018.
Manley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2018. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Patricia Ashford Manley is a resident of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Manley graduated from Ann Arbor High School and earned her bachelor's degree from Western Michigan University and her master's degree from Eastern Michigan University. She spent 41 years as a teacher and principal with Ann Arbor Public Schools before she retired in 2011.[1]
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Ann Arbor Board of Education At-large (4 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Ann Arbor Board of Education At-large on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jessica Kelly (Nonpartisan)  | 15.6 | 29,801 |
| ✔ |  | Rebecca Lazarus (Nonpartisan) | 15.2 | 28,990 |
| ✔ |  | Bryan Johnson (Nonpartisan) | 14.5 | 27,545 |
| ✔ |  | Susan Baskett (Nonpartisan) | 12.3 | 23,492 |
 | Lucas Cole (Nonpartisan) | 12.3 | 23,346 | |
 | Christine Stead (Nonpartisan) | 11.0 | 21,021 | |
 | Patricia Ashford Manley (Nonpartisan) | 9.6 | 18,288 | |
| Suzanne Perkins (Nonpartisan) | 9.1 | 17,385 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.3 | 585 | ||
| Total votes: 190,453 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2014
The election in Ann Arbor featured four at-large seats up for general election on November 4, 2014. Incumbents Susan Baskett and Christine Stead ran against challengers Jeffery Harrold, Donna Lasinski, Patricia Ashford Manley, Jack Panitch, Deirdre Piper, Hunter Van Valkenburgh, Don Wilkerson and Roland Zullo for the seats. Baskett, Harrold, Van Valkenburgh and Zullo campaigned together as an unofficial slate.[2] Fellow board members Glenn Nelson and Irene Patalan did not file for re-election.
Incumbents Susan Baskett and Christine Stead and challengers Donna Lasinski and Patricia Ashford Manley won the four seats.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  Susan Baskett Incumbent |
15.1% | 17,121 | |
| Nonpartisan | Donna Lasinski |
13.9% | 15,794 | |
| Nonpartisan | Christine Stead Incumbent |
13.2% | 14,941 | |
| Nonpartisan | Patricia Ashford Manley |
12.2% | 13,845 | |
| Nonpartisan | Hunter Van Valkenburgh | 10.4% | 11,847 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jeffery Harrold | 8.5% | 9,643 | |
| Nonpartisan | Roland Zullo | 7.2% | 8,183 | |
| Nonpartisan | Don Wilkerson | 7% | 7,908 | |
| Nonpartisan | Jack Panitch | 6.9% | 7,785 | |
| Nonpartisan | Deirdre Piper | 5.6% | 6,353 | |
| Total Votes | 113,420 | |||
| Source: Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Election Summary Report," accessed December 29, 2014 | ||||
Funding
Manley did not report any contributions or expenditures during the election, according to the Washtenaw County Elections Division.[3] In Michigan, a candidate committee that does not expect to receive or spend more than $1,000 during the election cycle is eligible to receive a reporting waiver, which allows that committee not to file pre-election, post-election and annual campaign statements without legal penalty.[4]
Endorsements
Manley received endorsements from the 3C Coordinating Council (MEA/NEA), the Ann Arbor Education Association, the Huron Valley Central Labor Council, the Michigan Laborers' Political League and State Representative Jeff Irwin (D-34).[5]
Campaign themes
2018
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Patricia Ashford Manley completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Manley's responses.
What would be your top three priorities, if elected?
If I am re-elected as Trustee of Ann Arbor Schools, my top three priorities will be: 1. Increasing School Funding 2. Increasing Diversity of teachers in the classrooms 3. Improving the disparity of academic success between; African American, Special Ed, Social Economic and the dominate (Caucasian) group
What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
Public Policy - To me, Public Policy around education is basically one of "every child has the right to an education". This includes setting up strong programs, employing the brightest and best educators, setting up ways to monitor student success and having methods to improve where needed, ensuring that students receive the social and/or emotional assistance they need, working closely with parents and graduating students who are ready for the workforce or college. I am committed and passionate about all of these things will be dedicated to making them happen.
What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?
Be knowledgable about the position, have unquestionable integrity and be open to public response.
What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?
- I have been a high school classroom teacher, coach, club advisor, counselor, class administrator and Elementary Principal. I feel my background and knowledge of how to best educate students makes me well qualified to be a Board Trustee. There should always be an educator on the Board to balance and give insight to those with business or law backgrounds.
What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?
1. Set policy 2. Hire the Superintendent (includes evaluating them)
What legacy would you like to leave?
- I would like my legacy to be that "I made a difference". If one student or parent benefits from my involvement in their life, then my work has been successful.
What was your very first job? How long did you have it?
- My first job was at the age of 16 in the University of Michigan student union, busting tables, part-time. I needed the job to pay for extras like yearbooks, class ring, prom, college application fees, etc. because there was no money for these things otherwise. I kept the job until I entered college.
What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?
As stated above: Set policy and hire the Superintendent
Who are your constituents?
All voters in the Ann Arbor Public Schools district
How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?
We have to determine exactly what the needs are first. Sometimes and advisory committee is good to help work through the best ways to handle it. Setting up open speaking forums is also helpful. Making clear that the needs addressed are doable at the Board level or whether it need to go higher to the State level.
How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?
My goal is to include all stakeholders (teachers, parents, students, unions) by being transparent in Board all decisions that will directly or indirectly affect them.
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?
Open communication opportunities and being transparent
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?
Yes, it has been researched that students perform better when they are connected and this includes having teachers that look like them. We have to expand our recruiting efforts.
What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?
In addition to traditional educational subjects, today it is most important that technology is a large part of the knowledge they receive. Everything involves some technical piece that is needed to be successful on a job.
What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?
If we are unable to get more money per pupil from the State then we must begin to think out of the box for creative funding.
How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?
We need funding to hire more counselors, social workers and personal mentors for students. In addition, we must have a ready list of outside organizations and places that can help with or without insurance.
What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?
Technology today is an integral part of the educational process. Our teachers are using various types of technology every day to help students learn and be prepared for life after graduation.
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.
2014
Manley published her platform on her campaign website:
| “ | My Mission Statement
Keeping Children First has been my focus throughout my 41-year career in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. As a teacher, counselor, class administrator and principal, I have experienced the effects of decisions made by the School Board and how they affect our students, staff and parents. It's time to put an Educator on the Board of Education! About Me
|
” |
| —Patricia Ashford Manley campaign website (2014)[7] | ||
See also
- Ann Arbor Public Schools, Michigan
- Ann Arbor Public Schools elections (2014)
- Ann Arbor Public Schools elections (2018)
External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- Ann Arbor Public Schools
- Office website
- Campaign website
- Campaign Facebook page
Footnotes
- ↑ Facebook, "About," accessed October 16, 2014
- ↑ Facebook, "Hunter Van Valkenburgh for School Board," accessed October 16, 2014
- ↑ Washtenaw County Elections Division, "Campaign Finance," accessed October 15, 2014
- ↑ Genesee County, "Filing Requirements under Michigan's Campaign Finance Act," February 7, 2014
- ↑ Manley for School Board, "Endorsements," accessed October 15, 2014
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Manley for School Board, "Home," accessed October 15, 2014
| Ann Arbor Public Schools elections in 2018 | |
| Washtenaw County, Michigan | |
| Election date: | November 6, 2018 |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
