MORNING HEADLINES | The S.C. Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to dissolve the Jasper County School District (JCSD) board of trustees and hand full operational control to the S.C. Department of Education.
State Superintendent of Education Ellen Weaver sought the takeover after a S.C. Inspector General’s investigation uncovered evidence in July of financial mismanagement, conflicts of interest and potential fraud in the district’s operations. Less than a week later, the State Law Enforcement Division opened a criminal investigation into the district and its former superintendent, Rechel M. Anderson.
Immediately after the Aug. 5 vote, the education agency issued a press release announcing that it had taken control of the district. Further, it said Weaver tapped longtime S.C. educator Laura Hickson to serve as Jasper County’s new interim superintendent.
“Students, educators and communities in every corner of South Carolina deserve accountable leadership and responsible stewardship,” Weaver said in the release. “Today’s action, with the support of many local leaders, fulfills my sworn duty to act in the best interest of our students and taxpayers.”
Though the criminal allegations against the Jasper County district are unusual, the state’s move to take over the district was not. It’s part of a growing trend in areas with high poverty, low tax bases and fewer people. Since 2017, state regulators have swooped in to take partial or full control of rural schools in Allendale, Florence, Marlboro and Williamsburg and counties — with the partial Marlboro takeover occurring less than a month ago.
And while no one contacted in recent days by the Charleston City Paper was critical of Weaver or her predecessor, former S.C. Superintendent Molly Spearman, for taking control of failing districts, all raised concerns about the state system that allowed them to fail in the first place, as outlined in this story last week in Statehouse Report:
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(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
