Shaw, former Bluffton principal, disciplined by S.C. State Board of Education

A former Bluffton principal fired for allegedly mishandling school funds has been issued a public reprimand by the S.C. State Board of Education.

The state board voted Tuesday to send a reprimand to Phillip Shaw exactly four years after the ex-principal was first placed on leave from H.E. McCracken Middle School. Shaw, who was fired in July 2013, did not request a hearing before the state board after it informed him in September of possible disciplinary action against his educator certificate, according to the order.

The order comes five months after the S.C. Court of Appeals upheld the Beaufort County Board of Education’s decision to fire Shaw. The court reversed the decision of Beaufort County Circuit Court Judge Marvin Dukes III, who had overturned his dismissal in November 2014.

As of April 2016, the legal battle had cost the district nearly $185,000.

Superintendent Jeff Moss recommended Shaw’s firing based on 10 alleged violations of district financial policies. According to court records, he violated the confidentiality of employment-related information, lied or behaved questionably about administrative and medical leave, about confidentiality and about the storage of undeposited students’ funds in a lockbox he kept under his desk.

Shaw also allowed an unauthorized bank account to be used for and by student council, and for other school-related purchases.

The state board determined there was not just cause to suspend or revoke Shaw’s educator certificate.

However, it decided Shaw deserved a public reprimand based on evidence of his “unprofessional conduct,” the order states.

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Shaw, former Bluffton principal, disciplined by S.C. State Board of Education."