CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) — The school board in South Carolina’s second-largest school district will see some turnover following Tuesday’s election, though conservative-backed candidates are set to retain the majority.
Half of the seats on the Charleston County School Board of Trustees were up for election on Nov. 5, giving voters a chance to reshape what has been previously characterized as a dysfunctional board.
The board has been embroiled in controversy over the past year, in part due to a string of contentious decisions that left some educators, parents, and elected officials urging the board to put politics aside and refocus on educating students.
Among the decisions were placing Superintendent Dr. Eric Gallien on paid administrative leave , replacing six members of the Health Advisory Committee (HAC), and initially not hiring the interim chief academic officer, Michelle Simmons. Simmons was eventually appointed to the role in late 2023.
Those decisions were approved by the board’s majority faction, backed by the ultra-conservative group Moms For Liberty, a self-described parental rights advocacy organization.