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Edgefield County School Board meeting

web posted May 24, 2006

COUNTY – The Edgefield County School Board held their second regular meeting for the month Tuesday night. Due to an extended executive session and the late hour of release of the meeting, this report will focus on just a few highlights of the meeting. A complete report will follow on Thursday.

After returning from executive session the school board voted to accept the recommended hiring of a list of teaching and administrative positions. A complete list will be provided in the follow up report.

Under the first item on the agenda of public comment and input David Franklin addressed the board on the matter of the election of the board of director’s of Fox Creek. Mr. Franklin told the board, “I’m here to request that the Edgefield Board of Education contest the May 11 board of directors election at Fox Creek High School on the grounds of a 1993 Federal Hatch Act violation by by certain teachers and board members.” According to Mr. Franklin a certain teacher authored an endorsement letter of a slate of candidates and commenced to take the flyer around to teachers to sign in support of the list.

“Some signed it some did not,” Mr. Franklin said. Mr. Franklin told the school board that two of those who signed the endorsement were “lied to” as far as what the contents of the endorsement was about by claiming it was a petition to stop the county school district from taking over control of the school. Mr. Franklin also claimed one of the teachers told him “someone forged her signature.”

Mr. Franklin said that to this date he still has not been provided with a vote tally, which he claimed was a violation of election laws. He also stated his actions on the matter were not “sour grapes” because, “if there is a new election I will not be running.”

Vice-chairman Scott Chitty interrupted Mr. Franklin to state that the Edgefield County School Board has “no jurisdiction over the day to day operations,” of Fox Creek. Mr. Chitty further explained that the issue would have to go before the Fox Creek School Board.

On the surface that is correct, however, as the County School District holds the Charter for the school, the board does in fact have the authority to place disciplinary actions for violations to the charter. Mr. Chitty and Chairwoman Sallie Cooks stated Fox Creek does not have to adhere to the County District Policies. However, the board would not address the fact that Fox Creek must have a written policy, which has not been provided by the school to the district.

Mr. Franklin stated he has spoken to legal council and will be addressing the matter with Fox Creek at their next meeting.

Mr. Chitty said that until someone at the school is found to be in violation of a law, the county school board has no authority over the school. According to the South Carolina Department of Education Charter School Division, that is incorrect. There is no requirement for a law to be violated before the district may act or revoke the charter of the school, according to J. C. Balew of the SCDOE, just a “material breach of the charter” which the district holds.

Fox Creek School Board Chairwoman Sherolyn Bishop was scheduled to appear, and for the third time, cancelled at the last minute thereby keeping the district in the dark as to the functioning and the plans of Fox Creek.

The school board also moved on to approve the credit recovery program for summer school which provides for students to recover a failed class by attending the summer program.

The Board also approved the final reading of the 2006-2007 budget for the next fiscal year. (Details will be included in the follow up report on Thursday.) Chairwoman Cooks acknowledged Dr. Angela Cooper for his completion of receiving his Doctorate, “I know you worked hard for it,” she said as the board and attending citizens applauded. 

The report on the budget for the Athletic Department of Strom Thurmond was given by exiting Athletic Director Gary Smallen. Coach Smallen said that by the figures he provided in a hand-out to the board that providing the officiating and the security required the athletic department spends $40,000 to provide for the officials. Other items of note were that the basketball team supports that program and the football program sullies funding for football and all other sports through income of ticket sales.

Several items of note that exceeded the preceding budget included 4 to 5 thousand dollars for banners used during the ring ceremony. Another issue he addressed was the inability of the gym to seat, safely, the numbers of people attending basketball games. He suggested all games be played at JET Middle School rather than the high school gym.

Coach Smallen stated in closing that on his departure before heading to Coastal College that he had to praise Dr. Sharon Keesley for her friendship and leadership, the Fiscal Services, Principle Greg Thompson, and Coach Sawyer. Coach Smallen has been in coaching for 32 years and leaves STH at the close of the school year.

Dr. Keesley mentioned that the Strom Thurmond graduating class received over $863,000 in scholarships.


 

 

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