Beaufort Co. school board, district fire back at ‘self-serving’ board member lawsuit
Beaufort County School District officials have responded to school board member William Smith’s lawsuit alleging a smear campaign against him, calling it “starkly self-serving” and asking for all of his claims to be dismissed.
The district, school board and individually-named defendants — school board chair Christina Gwozdz, board member Richard Geier, former interim superintendent Herbert Berg and district chief of security David Grissom — filed their response together on Friday.
The response comes after a two-hour, closed-session meeting of the board on June 23, which Smith did not attend. The board did not take any public votes following the closed-session meeting, which was for “receipt of legal advice related to a pending claim.”
The defendants are being represented by Eugene Matthews of the Columbia-based law firm Richardson Plowden & Robinson, P.A.
Smith “indulges in starkly self-serving blandishments in an attempt to engage in the very conduct of which he complains — his own active campaign to smear dedicated and able public servants in an attempt to justify, or draw attention from, his own questionable conduct,” the response says.
What is the lawsuit about?
In his June 7 lawsuit, Smith alleged that the defendants slandered him and conducted “a concerted smear campaign” in 2019 after at least four employees filed complaints against him, claiming he “created a hostile work environment” by making unannounced visits to their office.
Filed by Hilton Head attorney and Municipal Judge Maureen Coffey, the suit claims that the handling of the employee complaints and a subsequent, seemingly illegal concealed weapon permit check done at Berg’s request amounts to a smear campaign against Smith, who often voted against the board majority regarding the 2019 school bond referendum and other issues.
Smith, who represents St. Helena and Lady’s Island in District 3, is alleging slander, libel, conspiracy, emotional distress and invasion of privacy. He’s asking for damages, plus attorney costs and interest. The lawsuit does not specify an amount.
“This case is a stark reminder that unfair and unlawful governmental activity is not limited to players on the national stage,” the suit says. “Local government is equally adept at resorting to unseemly tactics to quash an opposing voice.”
The defendants denied all of Smith’s claims and requests for damages and asked that they be awarded their attorney fees and costs, along with other relief.
Smith has demanded a jury trial. According to Beaufort County’s 14th Circuit Public Index, the suit is slated for alternative dispute resolution on Jan. 3, 2022.