Superintendent of SC announces intentions to take control of Jasper County School System
JASPER COUNTY, SC. (WTOC) - A state-of-education emergency has been declared in the Jasper County School District by South Carolina State Superintendent, Ellen Weaver. As a result of that, the Jasper County School District Board will be dissolved.
Weaver’s office, pending State Board of Education approval, will take over management of the district and all of its schools.
A letter from State Superintendent Weaver to Jasper County School Board Chair Joyce Gerald states the board has not met the level of action required to address the district’s significant ongoing challenges.
See full letter below:
This comes just weeks after the Inspector General of South Carolina released a scathing report on the district’s financials under past superintendent Dr. Rechel Anderson, and the board’s ability to hold her accountable.
It accused Dr. Anderson of fraud, mismanagement of funds, and instances where she put her needs above those of the students during her tenure.
Dr. Anderson was fired last year and paid by the school district after a contentious vote in February.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Jasper Co. Superintendent fired after vote
The report also claimed that the board failed to supervise Dr. Anderson and hold her accountable.
This all led up to an announcement by Superintendent Weaver, who if approved for this takeover, her office will get full control of the district and the schools, and the school board will be dissolved.
What’s next for the Jasper County System?
Tuesday night, the school board met at 5:30 p.m.
In that meeting, the board entered an executive session and discussed the letter from Superintendent Weaver and their search for a new superintendent.
Three candidates have been interviewed for the position, but in the letter, Superintendent Weaver asked to board not to proceed with hiring a new superintendent or enter into any contracts with employees without approval from the state board.
When we first got word of this announcement and following the meeting, we immediately reached out to school board members in Jasper County to try and get you answers. However, we were met with no comments from the board and board chair. One board member even told us to never contact him again.
One Jasper County alum we spoke with said she is sad that it had to come to this within Jasper County, but hopes that this will get the district back on the right track.
“It’s going to be a long long journey, but I’m glad. I’m glad that we have an actual fresh start or smell the sense of a fresh start coming back into Jasper County,” said concerned resident, Bridgette Jones.
“I feel kind of tossed only because I graduated from Jasper and school has never been taken over by the state, but in this instance I totally agree with it being taken over because I feel that this the only way to get rid of the cancer, which is the school board members,” said Jones.
WTOC Investigates: State-of-education emergencies can last years
The Jasper County School District could be staring down the barrel of a lengthy overhaul by the State.
The State Board of Education (SBE) will have to approve the State Superintendent’s action. If they do approve it, that means the Superintendent would take over the district and all of its schools, disbanding the school board.
Right now, two school districts in South Carolina are already under state control.
The Allendale School District went under state control in 2017, and the Williamsburg County School District followed soon after in 2018. Last October, Williamsburg was given the ability to make its own decisions with state approval.
Just a little over a week ago, the state took fiscal control- though not total control- of the Marlboro School District.
The SBE will decide in its August 5 meeting whether to turn over control of the Jasper County School District to the State Superintendent, dissolving the school board. If it’s approved, the district can appeal the decision within 10 days.
Jasper County elected officials support state takeover of the Jasper County School District
On Tuesday August 5th, WTOC reached out to the Mayor of Ridgeland, who said that they sent a letter to the South Carolina State Board of Education extending their support for the state to takeover the Jasper County School District.
It was filled out and signed by the County Council Chairman, Mayor of Ridgeland, and Mayor of Hardeeville.
The Ridgeland Town Council held an Emergency Meeting and the letter was approved unanimously (4-0).
See full letter below:
Stick with WTOC as we continue to follow this story.
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