SC school district stonewalls request for public information

By Sharon Homer-Drummond | for The Nerve

When ordinary citizens want to know what their government is up to, government officials have an obligation – by law – to answer their questions. So – what do you do when those government officials deliberately thwart taxpayers’ attempt to find out what they‘re doing with public money? That’s the question parents and teachers are asking at one school district in the South Carolina upstate.

In 2006 the Board of Trustees decided to close Southwood Middle School in Anderson District 5, and unanimously voted to put a bond referendum to the public to convert Southwood into a new magnet academy. This academy would combine grades six through 12, and focus on integrating the arts and creativity into all core classes and learning. The bond referendum was put to a public vote in 2007 and overwhelmingly approved. The bond was issued with the purpose of “making improvements, renovations and additions to Southwood Middle School in order to convert such school to an Arts Magnet School (grades 6 through 12)” (emphasis mine).

at The Nerve.

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