School board member: Why I won’t vote to renew the Richland 1 superintendent’s contract | Opinion

We need a change in leadership at Richland County School District One (Richland 1), which is why I will vote against renewing our superintendent’s contract at the next board meeting and why I am urging my colleagues to join me in turning the page.

We need a change for two reasons.

First, students are not having the success they deserve.

Only 51.5% of our students are ready for third-grade English, and 57.1% for math. In neighboring Richland County School District Two, 76.5% and 82.5% of their third graders are ready for English and math, respectively. Having taught for more than 30 years, believe me when I tell you it is difficult for a child to succeed when he or she has already fallen behind by the third grade. We see the consequences of this with our graduates. This year, just 55.8% are college or career ready, and only 21.5% are college and career ready.

I believe this is unacceptable. Every child in Richland 1 must be given a chance to succeed. Right now, we are too far from that goal and are headed in the wrong direction.

The second reason we need changes is that we have a leadership problem that created a culture that has made it hard to recruit and retain teachers.

Richland 1, this is not Black versus white. In fact, when we look at which children are struggling the most, we see that schools serving predominately Black and brown children are furthest behind and need the most help. I have spoken with dozens of teachers, Black and white, who have confided with me about problems in district leadership. They are fearful of being punished for sharing concerns.

Last year, I ran for the school board after my community, the Lower Richland community, was blindsided by the abrupt reassignment of a beloved high school principal.

Hundreds in the Lower Richland community showed up at a July 2022 meeting to ask the administration why the principal was removed and demand her reinstatement. Now, the former principal is suing the district alleging she was investigated, placed on leave and reassigned by the administration in retaliation for a commencement speech in which she acknowledged “roadblocks” and “uphill battles.”

Our school lost a qualified, respected principal. I have heard too many similar stories since.

The mistreatment of our principal, Dr. Ericka Hursey, bears many similarities to the mid-year teacher reassignments that prompted protests and concern last month. Both incidents demonstrated a lack of competence and leadership by the administration. Both incidents harmed students. Both incidents showed disrespect to educators. But unlike the incident last month, the administration could not use race to deflect criticism by the Lower Richland community — Dr. Hursey is Black, and so is the majority of Lower Richalnd.

So please, do not let the administration and politicians spin the narrative to divide us along racial lines. I want success for all of our children. All of the concerned parents and teachers I have heard from want the same. There is a culture in Richland 1 that is standing in the way of results. Efforts to deflect criticism as racially motivated is just another example of the culture I am trying to change.

I won the school board seat because Richland 1 voters — Black, white and Hispanic — came together to change Richland 1. We can do that now by coming together as a board to make a change in the administration. This is not personal. Now is the right time to turn the page.

At our next meeting, I will vote against renewing our superintendent’s contract. I urge my colleagues on the board to join me.