Sherrie Conley Explained

Sherrie Conley
State House:Oklahoma
District:20th
Term Start:November 16, 2018
Predecessor:Bobby Cleveland
Party:Republican
Alma Mater:University of Central Oklahoma
Southwestern Oklahoma State University

Sherrie Conley is an American politician who has served as a Republican representing District 20 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives since 2018.

Early life and career

Conley moved to Central Oklahoma in the 1970s and grew up in southwest Oklahoma City. She attended Moore Public Schools and graduated from Moore High School in 1981. She earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Central Oklahoma, received her teaching certification in 1991, and earned a master's degree in education administration from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 2016. She worked as a teacher in the 1990s and 2000s and was an Oklahoma City Public Schools administrator before her election to the Oklahoma House of Representatives.

Political career

In 2018, Conley ran to represent the 20th district in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. She defeated incumbent Bobby Cleveland in the Republican primary runoff, and went on to win the general election against the Democratic candidate Steve Jarman. She faced a Republican primary challenge in 2020 and 2022, but won re-election both times.[1]

In 2023, she was an author of SB 126, "which would require districts be notified if a student is arrested for a serious offense."[2]

HB 1775

In 2021, Conley helped author Oklahoma HB 1775, which prohibits teaching eight concepts about race and gender. The bill was advanced by proponents as preventing teaching critical race theory. The bill generated controversy in 2023 after it was criticized for effecting lessons on the Tulsa Race Massacre. Conley, reacting to the controversy and in reference to the Tulsa massacre, said: The remarks were compared to similar remarks by Ryan Walters made a week earlier by the Tulsa-based The Black Wall Street Times.[3] She released a press release the next day clarifying:

Leadership and committees

Conley serves as the Majority Caucus Secretary. She currently sits on the following committees:[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sherrie Conley . Ballotpedia . 21 June 2020.
  2. Web site: World . Randy Krehbiel Tulsa . Senate education bills kept alive in Oklahoma House committee votes . 2023-04-13 . Tulsa World . en.
  3. News: Morris . Nate . Another Republican says racism didn’t cause Tulsa Race Massacre . 4 August 2023 . . August 3, 2023.
  4. Web site: Representative Sherrie Conley . Oklahoma State Legislature . 4 August 2023.