Pickens County Schools District

I have read that pomposity called the AdvancED report. It did make one truthful statement that warrants mentioning, “Members of the governing board reported themselves that not all of them share the vision of the district administration” (item 2, p38). 

Thankfully, Alex Saitta, Jimmy Gillespie, and Ben Trotter actually have a vision of both scholastic and financial responsibility, and that is certainly contrary to the vision of the district administration. Otherwise we would have been broke before now. 

The building program started at $150 million and now it is nearly $400 million, thanks to the fiscal insanity of the district administration. This fiscal insanity was actually applauded in the AdvanceEd report (item 4, p39). Last year the district had gained interest money (from excessive taxation) and voted to put aside $10 million to be used to pay down some of the $350 million in debt. The first meeting after Ben Trotter had resigned, in a 3 to 2 vote the board was back to its old ways with Jim Shelton, Judy Edwards and Herbert Cooper voting to raid that account and spend it all – like undisciplined children in a candy store. They did that and even spent over $3 million from the fund balance — all in one meeting. 

The vision of the district administration, as reported ‘between the lines’ of the AdvanceEd report, is to go on hog-wild spending sprees. The result will be to leave a legacy of debt to the students of Pickens County.  

Bill Johnston 982-4329304 Hood RoadEasley, SC 29640