Charleston County School District elections (2014)
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Five seats on the Charleston County Board of Education were up for general election on November 4, 2014. The positions held by Craig Ascue, Cindy Bohn Coats, Chris Fraser, Elizabeth Moffly and Tripp Wiles were up for re-election.
In the East Cooper election, three challengers faced off for the seats occupied by Ascue and Fraser since they did not file for re-election. Incumbent Cindy Bohn Coats faced two challengers for the North Area seat. In the West Ashley race for a four-year term, challengers Edward Fennell and Eric Mack faced off for the seat held by Moffly since she did not file for re-election. The term for the West Ashley seat held by Wiles was for an unexpired term. He ran unopposed.
Kate Darby and Chris Staubes won in East Cooper, incumbent Cindy Bohn Coats was returned for another term in North Area, Eric Mack won the regular seat in West Ashley and Tripp Wiles took the unexpired term in West Ashley.
About the district
Charleston County School District is located in Charleston County, South Carolina. The county seat of Charleston County is Charleston. Charleston County is home to 350,209 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau.[1] In the 2011-2012 school year, Charleston County School District was the second-largest school district in South Carolina and served 44,058 students.[2]
Demographics
Charleston County overperformed in comparison to the rest of South Carolina in terms of higher education achievement in 2012. The United States Census Bureau found that 38.4 percent of Charleston County residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree compared to 24.6 percent for South Carolina as a whole. The median household income in Charleston County was $50,289 compared to $44,623 for the state of South Carolina. The poverty rate in Charleston County was 17.7 percent compared to 17.6 percent for the entire state.[1]
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Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Voter and candidate information
The Charleston County Board of Education consists of nine members elected to four-year terms. They serve by specific geographic area. There
was
no primary election, and the general election
was
held on November 4, 2014. Five seats
were
up for election in 2014.[4]
Candidates began filing nominating petitions on March 16, 2014. The filing deadline for school board candidates to get on the ballot in the general election was August 15, 2014.[5]
Elections
2014
Candidates
East Cooper (two seats)
- Kate Darby
- Director of administration, J. Henry Stuhr Funeral Chapels and Crematory
- Sarah Shad Johnson
- Paralegal, Department of Justice
- Children's ministry worker
- Chris Staubes
- Attorney
North Area
- Cindy Bohn Coats
- Incumbent
- Business specialist
- Kelvin Curtis
- Education advocate and volunteer
- Shante Ellis
- Recreation administrative manager, Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission
West Ashley
- Edward Fennell
- Retired journalist
- Eric Mack
- Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church
- Data coordinator, Medical University of South Carolina
West Ashley (unexpired term)
- Tripp Wiles
- Incumbent
- Attorney
Election results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Kate Darby |
42% | 38,657 | |
| Nonpartisan | Chris Staubes |
30.9% | 28,472 | |
| Nonpartisan | Sarah Shad Johnson | 26.6% | 24,506 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-In | 0.5% | 421 | |
| Total Votes | 92,056 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission, "2014 Charleston County General Election Results," accessed December 20, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Cindy Bohn Coats Incumbent |
49.8% | 28,728 | |
| Nonpartisan | Kelvin Curtis | 26.9% | 15,542 | |
| Nonpartisan | Shante Ellis | 22.9% | 13,203 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-In | 0.3% | 199 | |
| Total Votes | 57,672 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission, "2014 Charleston County General Election Results," accessed December 20, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Eric Mack |
56.7% | 32,430 | |
| Nonpartisan | Edward Fennell | 42.8% | 24,481 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-In | 0.5% | 291 | |
| Total Votes | 57,202 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission, "2014 Charleston County General Election Results," accessed December 20, 2014 | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Tripp Wiles Incumbent |
98.1% | 42,937 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-In | 1.9% | 825 | |
| Total Votes | 43,762 | |||
| Source: South Carolina State Election Commission, "2014 Charleston County General Election Results," accessed December 20, 2014 | ||||
Endorsements
No candidate publicly received an endorsement in this election.
Campaign finance
Candidates were required to file a quarterly finance report with the South Carolina State Ethics Commission for the November general election by October 10, 2014. This report covered the period of July 1, 2014, through September 30, 2014. Candidates were also required to file a pre-election report no later than 15 days prior to the election. A final report was due after the campaign had closed. Candidates for local school boards could not accept more than $1,000 from individuals and $5,000 from political parties.[6]
Past elections
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2012
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What was at stake?
Issues in the district
Resignation of Superintendent Nancy McGinley
Charleston County School District's longest-serving superintendent, Nancy McGinley, tendered her resignation to the board on October 30, 2014, in a closed-door session. The board voted 8-1 to accept her resignation, with board member Michael Miller casting the dissenting vote. McGinley's resignation followed the firing and rehiring of Academic Magnet High School football coach Bud Walpole after an investigation into post-game victory celebrations. The Post and Courier columnist Brian Hicks stated that "even McGinley supporters will tell you that she handled that Academic Magnet fiasco poorly" and "by any measure, it was a public relations disaster." Conversely, McGinley has also been commended for reducing "at-risk" schools in the district, while also bolstering school choice.
Board Chairwoman Cindy Bohn Coats said that the board did not ask for McGinley's resignation, nor was it related to the Walpole incident. Coats declined to say what prompted the resignation, saying, "that's not something I, as the chair, can comment on." As part of her resignation presentation to the board, McGinley stated that "within the last two weeks our fleet got hit by a tidal wave that has torn us apart" and that the board has "the right to pick the superintendent and make a leadership change." Miller, who was also the board member who alerted district officials of the post-game victory celebrations, stated that his reason for voting against the resignation was that he didn't think leadership should be changed amidst racial tension in the district. He said, "for Dr. McGinley to leave our school district in this manner, I was not willing to support that."
McGinley came to the district in 2004 and had been serving as superintendent since 2007. McGinley's contract was not scheduled to end until 2016, and therefore she remained a district employee and received her salary and benefits until June 30, 2015. McGinley's annual salary was $226,278. Following that date, McGinley received a payment of eight months' salary and benefits. Michael Bobby, the district's chief financial officer, was named acting superintendent.[7][8][9][10]
Michael Bobby address to board, community
On November 10, 2014, the same night three new board members were sworn into office, acting superintendent Michael Bobby gave his first speech to teachers, parents, and administrators regarding recent incidents in the district. Bobby emphasized the importance of respect and dignity in the coming months as the district transitioned from under the leadership of Nancy McGinley. In reference to McGinley, Bobby stated that "this district has been the fortunate recipient of a strong, courageous visionary leader who's left a legacy that we here have a responsibility to continue and to build upon." He said that unity was in the best interest of the district and "the only way that we can best serve 48,000 children." Other concerns were also addressed in the meeting, including changes to the district's Angel Oak Elementary, which has had flooding and cockroach problems.[11]
Football coach firing and rehiring
After district officials made the decision on October 20, 2014, to fire Academic Magnet High School football coach Bud Walpole as a result of his post-game victory celebrations, Superintendent Nancy McGinley offered him his job back. The decision to fire Walpole was met with scrutiny from the community, and after two days, the coach was rehired. The grounds on which Walpole was initially fired involved the post-game tradition of smashing a watermelon, with players allegedly gathering around in a circle and making "monkey sounds." The watermelon also had a caricature face drawn onto it in black marker. School board member Michael Miller went to the district on October 13, 2014, with the coach's alleged actions, raising concerns over racial undertones after hearing from a parent. The Charleston Branch of the NAACP came out in support of the firing, calling the situation "inappropriate and racially insensitive." Support for Coach Walpole's reinstatement quickly developed, though, with a player-led petition gathering over 4,000 signatures to return Walpole to his coaching duties. After being briefed on the incident, several school board members, including Todd Garrett, Tripp Wiles, and Elizabeth Moffly, were in support of rehiring Walpole. According to Garrett, while the reaction to the incident was understandable, administrators rushed the termination process. Garrett said, "it took a harmless student-led sports team celebration out of context," and that "this is a teachable moment, not a time for heads to roll." Coach Walpole's rehiring required that he submit a "written statement of commitment", attend any sensitivity training offered by the district and counsel players on dealing with others from diverse racial backgrounds.[12]
Yes 4 Schools referendum
In the November 4, 2014, election, voters approved the "Yes 4 Schools" referendum that aimed to fix the county's overcrowding issue. For residents, it meant a one-cent sales tax would continue through 2022. According to Board Chair Cindy Bohn Coats, "of the ways to fund school construction in the state of South Carolina, this is the best option. This is a user tax, it is a sales tax not a property tax." Those against the referendum agreed with the issue at hand, but criticized the haste with which the measure was brought to voters. Charleston GOP chairman John Steinberger said, "we certainly need to build more schools in the high growth areas, but we don't need a $14-million football stadium in North Charleston or some of these other projects that just aren't warranted right now." The approved rate was projected to raise a minimum of $540 million for the district throughout the following eight years.[13]
Key deadlines
The following dates were key deadlines for the Charleston County School District election in 2014:[5]
| Deadline | Event |
|---|---|
| March 16, 2014 | Candidate filing for primary begins |
| March 30, 2014 | Candidate filing for primary closes |
| June 10, 2014 | Primary election day |
| June 24, 2014 | Primary runoff (if required) |
| August 15, 2014 | Last day for nonpartisan candidates to file for general election |
| October 4, 2014 | Voter registration deadline |
| November 4, 2014 | Election day |
Additional elections on the ballot
- See also: South Carolina elections, 2014
This election shared the ballot with general elections for U.S. House seats and South Carolina state executive offices. It also shared the ballot with other county and municipal elections.[5]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Charleston + County + School + District + South + Carolina"
See also
- South Carolina
- Charleston County School District, South Carolina
- South Carolina school board elections, 2014
- List of school board elections in 2014
- School board elections, 2014
- Charleston County, South Carolina ballot measures
- Local ballot measures, South Carolina
External links
- Charleston County School District
- Charleston County, South Carolina
- South Carolina State Election Commission
- South Carolina State Ethics Commission
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 United States Census Bureau, "Charleston County, South Carolina," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ South Carolina State Election Commission, "Election Results," accessed August 19, 2014
- ↑ Charleston County School District, "Board of Education," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 South Carolina Election Commission, "2014 Election Calendar," accessed July 28, 2014
- ↑ South Carolina State Ethics Commission, "Campaign Practices," accessed August 18, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Parting ways with superintendent could be costly for Charleston County School District," October 28, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Charleston schools chief's future is unclear," October 27, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Politics, not policy, have doomed McGinley," October 29, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "Nancy McGinley out: Board accepts Charleston schools chief's resignation," October 30, 2014
- ↑ ABC News, "Interim Charleston schools chief calls for respect, dignity," November 10, 2014
- ↑ The Post and Courier, "McGinley offers fired Academic Magnet coach his job back effective Thursday," October 22, 2014
- ↑ ABC News, "Yes 4 Schools passes by wide margin in Charleston County," November 4, 2014
| 2014 Charleston County School District Elections | |
| Charleston County, South Carolina | |
| Election date: | November 4, 2014 |
| Candidates: | East Cooper: • Kate Darby • Sarah Shad Johnson • Chris Staubes North Area: • Incumbent, Cindy Bohn Coats • Kelvin Curtis • Shante Ellis |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
