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 web posted September 13, 2007 JOHNSTON – The Edgefield County School Board made its decision to hire Mary Rice Crenshaw as the new superintendent of schools on Tuesday night even after being advised of a poor record in test scores under her leadership. In spite of the glaring inadequacies the majority black school board members ignored the facts and seemingly hired the least qualified candidate based on race with a vote along racial lines. The Edgefield County School District has seen PACT scores and SAT scores reach record highs under the direction of Superintendent Dr. Sharon Keesley, who retired this June, and former assistant superintendent Dr. David Mathis, who left this past year to take a new position in the Aiken County School District. However, a review of the Clarendon Three School District under the direction of Dr. Crenshaw showed just the opposite. Dr. Crenshaw left the Dorchester County leadership role after the school board there refused to vote to continue her contract due to poor performance in 2003. Crenshaw arrived at the Clarendon Three School District in 2004 as superintendent and continued her ability to lower test scores in the district. Prior to Dr. Crenshaw’s arrival, the Clarendon Three School District had 29.5% of students scoring below basic in English on PACT testing. Under the leadership of Dr. Crenshaw, by 2006 40.2% were below basic standards. Overall the district showed 27.5% scoring below standards in all categories of testing in 2003. By 2006 Dr. Crenshaw was able to raise that number to 40% of students failing to meet the basic required standards. The Clarendon Three School District prior to Dr. Crenshaw’s arrival had 70.5% meeting standards in English, and by 2006 test scores showed only 59.8% were able to meet the required minimum standards. Overall the 2003 test scores showed 66.4% meeting the standard, and Dr. Crenshaw was able to lower that mark with only 59.9 making the grade in 2006 under her leadership. Edgefield County School Board member James Bibbs stated in Tuesday night’s meeting that Dr. Mathis did not have the “intestinal fortitude” to make the changes he and the majority black school board members wanted for the Edgefield County School District. Bibbs also stated that Dr. Crenshaw would be better at representing the “African-American” student population. Yet, further review of test scores showed more of the same regarding the leadership ability of Dr. Crenshaw. Prior to Dr. Crenshaw’s arrival in the Clarendon Three School District roughly 50% of minority students were below basic in PACT scores in 2003. After just three short years of Dr. Crenshaw’s leadership showed the number of minority students falling below basic standards rose to 70%. School Board member James Bibbs said he and the majority black school board members wanted to make changes in the Edgefield County School District after posting record high scores in 2006. Apparently the changes they intend to make must be to lower overall testing scores for Edgefield County students with the record of accomplishment by their choice for a superintendent. Editor’s note: Statistics are from the S.C. Dept. of Education for PACT scores beginning in the 5th grade for the Clarendon Three School District. For all
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