TIMMONSVILLE, SC (WBTW) – South Carolina State Education Superintendent Molly Spearman was at the Florence School District Four (FSD4) meeting Wednesday night.
After about an hour and a half in executive session with Spearman, the board could not come to an agreement on a candidate.
Lillie Joe FSD4 chair member said, “We did not get the majority of the votes. Therefore we are tabling our decision tonight until we have further discussion.”
Spearman explained to the board if it hires the original pick, Alphonso Bradley, the state will assign a leader to assist with Brockington Elementary and Johnsonville Middle.
“The state has two schools, Brockington and Johnson. Timmonsville High they do not,” said Joe. “Therefore the funding for these two schools will continue but the funding that would be allocated for Timmonsville High, it would possibly be cut in some form.”
Also, the district will have to pay $306,000 to the state.
“There was some talk about the funding and that kind of thing,” said Joe. “Her [Spearman’s] issue was to basically to let us know what we could lose based on how we voted. Whether or not that had some bearing on how the votes went tonight, I think it did.”
Jimmy Hampton supports the board’s original pick and wants the board to make a decision before school starts.
“Our kids are important. That’s what is more important,” said Hampton. “You have a lot of differences [and] a lot of bickering from the state level to the board level. It’s time to get all of that behind us and let’s look out for our children.”
Joe said the board will meet again within the next week to vote again on the superintendent.
