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Fox Creek school board ignores on campus drug bust, votes to return student to class

Vote conflicts with county's zero tollerance policy of drugs at school, District to question exemption

web posted March 31, 2006

MERRIWETHER – The Fox Creek school board has shown its disregard for the policies of the Edgefield County School District. As we reported two weeks ago on the drug arrests of two students, it seems that the school board will overlook drug possession and criminal charges for certain individuals, a move that has drawn the ire of the School District and parents.

James Dee Purvines, 17, and an unnamed juvenile were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana at Fox Creek High School on Tuesday March 14. A tip led to our investigation of Mr. Purvines being back at school in spite of the arrest. The state and county policies on possession of drugs on school grounds is automatic expulsion just as it is with weapons.

That is not the case at Fox Creek. Mr. Purvines appealed his expulsion to the school board, which met on March 21 with members Ferrell Jenkins, Ashley Williams, Jim Oliver, Bob Ross, and Mac Thomas voting in a split vote to overturn the expulsion. The Edgefield County School District was not made aware of the decision until we contacted them for verification and to advise them of this report going to press.

Fox Creek school board members may have landed themselves in a bit of hot water, and not just with the general public. The District Office is "disturbed" and was in the process of reviewing the entire charter for Fox Creek on Thursday. Edgefield County School Superintendent Sharon Keesley said, "we are very concerned," about the vote. The last information the District received on the expulsion was the standard required forms within days. The school has not reported the readmission of Mr. Purvines from almost two weeks ago.

"We are going to look into that," Dr. Keesley said.

John Gratop, Fox Creek’s Administrator, followed policy and procedure to the letter and entered the standard recommendation of expulsion to the board. He did say he was disappointed in the vote but would not comment further saying, "I'm just going to be bitting my tounge for now."

The matter is contrasted by a hearing of the Edgefield County School Board at the District Office this week. The board voted to uphold the expulsion of a football player for a lesser offense, even after "tearful pleas" by the student and supporters.

Attempts to reach the listed Fox Creek board members were unsucessful.

The Edgefield County School Board members we contacted today, including Chairwoman Sallie Cooks, would not comment on this report but did acknowledge the issue will be addressed at the upcoming meeting requested by the District with the Fox Creek board and state officials to address "certain matters" concerning the school. The meeting was scheduled previous to our report of the vote.
 

 

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