Letter: School board skirts ballot box

Last November, the electorate overwhelmingly rejected a bond referendum that called for taxpayer funding of a competition gym and performing arts center at the Whale Branch Early College High School.

Three months later, the Beaufort County Board of Education circumvented the mandate of the constituency by authorizing capital improvement bonds, usually utilized for large maintenance projects, to fund the voter-rejected $4.4 million gymnasium.

Now this same board is seeking to borrow an additional $12 million or defer other capital initiatives to fund the previously-rejected performing arts center, effectively reversing taxpayer directives.

I find these tactics underhanded, devious, highly unethical and a misuse of school debt. If you agree, please let your school board representative know how you feel.

This story was originally published February 14, 2017 at 1:23 PM with the headline "Letter: School board skirts ballot box."