Letter: School district policy must be set by board

In my courses at the university, I learned that it was the responsibility of the board of directors, elected councils and school boards to make policy and to see it is enforced.

This has been reinforced by more than 50 years in business, and many years of experience on boards.

With this in mind, I was shocked at what is happening in the Beaufort County School District.

It is the duty of the chairman, administrator or superintendent to manage within these board-established policies.

The policy changed by our superintendent was a school board policy established in 2010 at the time I was a member of the board. It was shocking when I read the nepotism policy was changed by the superintendent without board approval.

It appears that the Beaufort County Board of Education may have abdicated its responsibilities and allowed the superintendent to change board policy without its approval. I disagree with the newspaper quotes from board chairman Bill Evans, the school district attorney, and the superintendent. Only the board should have approved the change.

We should remember this at the next school board election and make sure we vote for candidates who understand their responsibility. The board must set and enforce policy and leave the managing to the superintendent.

I have no opinion on the qualifications of the person hired after this policy change.

Jim Bequette

This story was originally published September 16, 2015 at 9:55 PM with the headline "Letter: School district policy must be set by board."