Editorials from across South Carolina: education superintendent, ‘constitutional carry,’ public records

School chief needs to be appointed

Gov. Henry McMaster’s hardening opposition to a badly needed gas tax increase has put the leading legislative initiative at risk. And addressing the state pension fund’s large looming debt could be a tough and thankless job.

But it should be easy for lawmakers to agree that the state’s voters deserve the opportunity to decide whether the governor should appoint a superintendent of education or for that post to continue to be filled by statewide election every four years. South Carolina is one of only 14 states to do it that way.

Scoppe: How to hold a governor accountable for education

The Senate has passed a bill that would provide for a change in the state Constitution — assuming approval by the voters — to make the superintendent a Cabinet position appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. It is now being considered in the House. Approving it would be the right move.…

Gubernatorial candidates almost always promise to improve schools. But once elected, the governor has little authority over public education — even though it gets the largest chunk of the state budget.

A governor with the authority to appoint a superintendent would have to take responsibility when things don’t go well — and could take credit when they do. That incentive would help those campaign promises for better schools become a reality.

Gun-carriers need training on the law

Lawmakers have already gone too far in reducing the training required to obtain a concealed weapons permit. The state used to require an eight-hour minimum of training, but now instructors are free to determine the length of time required to train permit applicants.

It may not fit well with a strict libertarian ideology, but South Carolinians need to maintain the current requirements for concealed weapons permits. We simply don’t need untrained people — who are unfamiliar with their firearms and clueless about the laws regarding those guns — to strap on a pistol and head to school to pick up their kids.

Their guns are concealed; their strategy, not so much

While the pending (“constitutional carry”) bill would eliminate the need to obtain a permit to carry a concealed weapon, or to carry one openly, it would not change the myriad laws regarding where and when a person can carry a weapon.

Those who do not go through the training necessary to obtain a permit may be unaware that they cannot carry a weapon to a college football game or to a polling place during an election or into a church or a hospital unless they have permission.

Sunshine law needs strengthening

Unfortunately, there is little the public can do when its requests for information are ignored. Sure, they can pursue a lawsuit to get what they should have been given to begin with, but how many are willing to fork out the dollars necessary to take the case before a judge? It’s a costly — and timely — adventure, believe us.

Video of police encounters only helps if you get to see the video

In just a few days, a year will have passed since this newspaper sought public information from former Greenwood County Sheriff Tony Davis. At issue was — and still is — the death of a detention center inmate. On behalf of the taxpayers, the newspaper sought whatever information should be readily available in an effort to shed light on the inmate’s death. After all, this was not a death that occurred in a private home. It occurred in the county detention center, where the inmate was under the care and supervision of taxpayer-funded employees of the sheriff’s office. We shared the same concerns as the public. How did this man die? Did detention center employees follow policy and procedure in handling the situation leading up to and even after his death?

Not only would written reports provide insight into these and other questions, but also video recorded on detention center cameras could corroborate or contradict written reports.…

Join us in supporting legislation that strengthens the FOIA and provides a clearer and more cost-effective pathway for you to access public information. Help let the sunshine in.

This story was originally published March 13, 2017 at 5:40 PM with the headline "Editorials from across South Carolina: education superintendent, ‘constitutional carry,’ public records."