Opinion articles provide independent perspectives on key community issues, separate from our newsroom reporting.

Letters to the Editor

Letter: School board wrong to suppress input

IslandPacket newsroom@islandpacket.com
Beaufort

I am completely dissatisfied with the format of Beaufort County Board of Education meetings.

On Tuesday, school board members displayed their contempt for taxpaying constituents who have criticized their lack of leadership.

Earl Campbell threatened the citizens by relating a story whose implicit message was that those who criticize this board could be hanged.

Mary Cordray announced that no names could be uttered by citizens speaking during the public comment section. Her interpretation of their rule that comments must be "germane to the business of the board" was that comments must be confined to items on the meeting agenda. This is outrageous, since the citizens who attended came to address the lack of leadership and integrity on the part of the school board and superintendent. Those topics would never be placed on the meeting agenda by this chairman.

Citizens of the United States have a constitutional right to make a complaint to, or seek the assistance of, one's government without fear of punishment or reprisals.

Taxpayers deserve honest answers from the school board:

  • When will the nepotism policy be discussed, revised and published publicly?
  • When will an independent review of the administrative positions in the school district be completed?
  • When will there be negative consequences for the superintendent resulting from his serious breach of the public trust?
  • How can 15 percent of Superintendent Jeff Moss' annual salary ($33,000) be automatically deposited into his annuity when those contributions are supposed to be contingent on a positive performance review?

    • Rebecca W. Bass

    This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 8:05 PM with the headline "Letter: School board wrong to suppress input."

    Get unlimited digital access
    #ReadLocal

    Try 1 month for $1

    CLAIM OFFER