JACKSON, Miss.--Reports from the capitol Wednesday said Rep. Linda Whittington (D-Schlater) has put in a request to be back on the House Education Committee. She was ousted from her seat last week by House Speaker Phillip Gunn, a move decried by Democrats as "heavy-handed politics" and "unprecedented".

The reason for that-Whittington opposed charter schools. She was replaced by Rep. Charles Busby, a charter schools supporter. Charter schools are a main component of education reforms set to be taken up during the 2013 legislative session. A bill that would have made the schools a part of public education in Mississippi died in the 2012 session. With an opponent like Whittington on the committee, there was a possibility that the new bill could die before it reached the floor.

Earlier this week Rep. Kevin McGee resigned his seat in the House due to ethics violations. He also served on the Education Committee. That now leaves his seat open and that's the one Whittington wants.