SC Gov. McMaster wants probe of Clarendon schools for potential financial irregularities
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster wants the state inspector general to open an investigation into the Clarendon County School District for potential financial irregularities.
The concerns were brought to McMaster last week by state Rep. Fawn Pedalino R-Clarendon, who provided the governor’s office with extensive documentation of the school district’s fiscal affairs, including two binders of documents and electronic records, according to a news release
“Based on a preliminary review of the materials provided by Rep. Pedalino, it appears that the cited concerns regarding ‘potential financial irregularities’ warrant further analysis,” McMaster wrote to State Inspector General Brian Lampkin.
McMaster told reporters Tuesday the documentation involved financial transactions, but would not be specific.
“Let the inspector general make his report,” McMaster said Tuesday. “A thorough investigation is good. It’s one that you don’t hurry up and you don’t slow down you let it take its course and move deliberately.”
Pedalino and Clarendon County School District Superintendent Shawn Johnson could not be reached for comment.
In 2022, lawmakers empowered the state inspector general to investigate school districts, public charter schools and other school-related entities.
This is the second school district McMaster has asked the state inspector general to investigate. An investigation last year into Richland 2 over district dysfunction found infighting among school board members as being detrimental to the district’s operations, as well as a lack of a procurement card policy, its diversion of district funds to its nonprofit foundation and its lack of an internal auditor.
This story was originally published April 10, 2023 at 4:28 PM.
