Residents express disapproval with Clarendon 1 decision on school administrators

Nearly a dozen Summerton residents appeared Monday night before Clarendon School District 1 board members to express opinions regarding the board's decision not to renew contracts with several administrative staffers, including the principals at all three of its schools. The board voted 6-2 on April 3 not to accept Superintendent Dr. Rose Wilder's recommendation that the district retain the status quo for its schools' principals for the 2017-18 school year. "You are not working in the best interest of this school district," said longtime school volunteer and community activist Beatrice Rivers on Monday night before the board. "I have always been proud of how our school board took care of the interests of our school district. I never felt I had to question your decisions because I felt like the school district always put our students first." Rivers said that Scott's Branch High School has been recognized "for three consecutive years by U.S. News and World Report." "This did not happen because we wished it so, but because of the superintendent and her team she put in place," said Rivers. "We have people in place who are continuing to make improvements, and the board has voted to get rid of them." At Monday's meeting, Board Chairman Tony Junious would not let those giving public comments provide the names of those affected by the board's decision. Principals for the 2016-17 school year for Clarendon 1 included Scott's Branch Middle-High School Principal Dr. Gwendolyn Harris; St. Paul Elementary School Principal Sheila Barringer; and Summerton Early Childhood Center Principal Dr. Beverly McCullough. During April's meeting, the board also voted along the same lines against Wilder's recommendation to continue the employment of the current directors of Finance, Food Service, Maintenance and Technology. Those positions are held by Renee Jeffcoat, Annie Taylor, Greg Holladay and Russell M. Zimmerman, respectively. Voting for on both issues were Junious, Bessie Leonard, Cindy Risher, John Bonaparte, Keith Bowman and Joe Dingle. Voting against on both issues were the Rev. Johnnie Lawson and Wanda Smith. "These people that you have just cast aside, they should be rewarded," said Rivers. "Instead, you have discarded everything they have done and terminated them. What does this say to the students when you have a successful team and you get rid of it?" Eliza Reed told board members that there's no sense in trying to "fix what isn't broken." "So, if something is broken, I want to know what it is," she said. "Show us what is broken." Scott's Branch Alumni Association President Robert McFadden said he was unsure exactly what the board's full decision was during its April meeting. Indeed, the board's minutes simply state that the board voted against Wilder's recommendation on school principals for the 2017-18 school year, and does not state what that recommendation was. A source close to the school district, however, told The Manning Times that Wilder's recommendation was to keep the current principals in place. "We don't see any need for whatever this board has voted for," said McFadden. "This is not open to the public. You have not made these reasons known." Clarendon County Educational Association President Anne Blackmon agreed. "It is not that we are angry about the decision, we just want to know why," she said. "We want to know why this has happened. We have people who have worked for this district for 20 years who now have not had their contracts renewed, and for what? They have been given no reason whatsoever." While the majority of those speaking Monday night were against the board's decision, there were some parents in favor of it. Nikayah Spencer said she's had to go to her child's school "more days than not in the past year." "And I always left unsatisfied, whatever the situation," she said. "In this decision, I trust the board. You've got my support." Latasha Ragin said she complained several times to the administration at St. Paul Elementary School about her children being bullied. "They have hidden in the bathrooms, they have skipped breakfast and lunch," she said. "Nothing has been done about this." Ragin said that her son came home with damaged shoes, and that the school did nothing but offer to replace them. "I work three jobs," she said. "I am not worried about replacing the shoes. But if it had been my son who had done this to another child, he would be punished. I wanted the child that did this to be punished. I wanted some justice. I did not get that." Ragin said her concerns were only acknowledged after she became "irate and upset." "You've had a whole school year to be concerned for my children, and anything could have happened to my child this year," she said. "But because I'm now angry and I'm irate, you want to be concerned with just two or three weeks of school left?" Carol Blanding, who said she has worked as an aide in the district schools, said she was speaking for the students. "I've heard a lot of talk about the people in the administration and how good the scores are and how the board made the wrong decision," she said. "My concern is, what good is that if you have teachers who are allowed to come in our school and belittle our children? You ask me how I know? Because I sub there. I've heard it. I have nothing to lose." Blanding told the board that its members "made a great decision." "I ain't ashamed to say it," she said. "I speak for the children who talk to me as a substitute teacher. I am so happy. We elected y'all, and the decision you made is the right one. Thank you for not being scared." Sen. Kevin Johnson told the board that he'd heard various rumors before attending Monday's meeting. He said that he would likely be holding several meetings throughout the county in the coming months, before the Legislative session begins in 2018, to gauge community interest in district consolidation in Clarendon County. "That's coming around soon enough anyway," he said. "I can introduce a bill to do it, and we can have one school district, but I'm only going to do that if I have a sense that it's what the majority wants." Junious thanked those who spoke during Monday's meeting, and said that the board had made tough decisions and that it also has many tough decisions ahead. During what would have been final reading of the district's 2017-18 fiscal year budget, Junious and other board members took umbrage with several line items, asking Finance Director Renee Jeffcoat where more cuts could be made. "Clarendon School District 3 in Turbeville does a lot more with a lot less," said Junious. Board members decided to revisit the budget with a workshop scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at the district office. Board member Wanda Smith, who said Monday that she was adamant about her vote in support of Wilder's recommendation to keep the status quo in Clarendon School District 1 schools, said she was encouraged by the turnout at the meeting. Smith is one of five members appointed to the nine-member board. "When I make a decision, I can separate my personal feelings from the professional," she said. "It hurts me that there is an imbalance here and that people think something was done in secret. I apologize if that's how people feel."