Beaufort County school bond referendum is about the students, not the board or superintendent
A school board in chaos, FBI subpoenas, quashed FOIA requests, and the resignation of the district’s attorney. Who in their right mind would vote in favor of the school district’s proposed $76 million bond referendum?
I would.
In 2000, Beaufort County had approximately 120,000 residents. That population will increase to an estimated 190,000 to 200,000 residents in 2020, according to the interim county administrator. School-age children comprise 16 percent of our population; a percentage which has remained the same for the last 18 years.
Growing pains come with growth, but our teachers and students deserve safe and adequate facilities in which to teach and learn. In addition, bringing Career and Technology Education (CATE) facilities “in-house” to three schools expands the opportunities for children to learn a trade, which can be just as important as any four-year college degree.
Our district is fortunate to have a stellar financial team. In fact, the district’s finance office was recently awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the 28th year in a row.
These dedicated professionals account for every dollar received and every penny spent, publish transparency reports, and are audited annually to ensure proper procedures and protocols are followed. And indeed, they are.
Can’t trust the superintendent or the board? I get it. I really do. But they’re not getting a single dime if this referendum passes. You can count on that.
Rather than focusing on the superintendent or the board, it’s time to focus on what really matters: Our children.
Bill Fletcher
Bluffton
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This story was originally published April 10, 2018 at 8:16 AM with the headline "Beaufort County school bond referendum is about the students, not the board or superintendent."