BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—On Tuesday night the Berkeley County School Board agreed to release Superintendent Rodney Thompson from his contract effective July 31st, 2015.
In September, Thompson sent district employees and email requesting to step down from his position.
“I feel the timing is right for me to request from the Board of Education to be released from my contract during the summer of 2015,” Thompson wrote in the email. “Making this announcement now allows our Board ample time to select a replacement and I will assist with the transition as much as the Board desires.”
Six board members voted in favor of letting Thompson out of his contract early while three board members, including Mac McQuillin, did not vote.
McQuillin, who was recently elected to the school board, says along with the superintendent’s request to end his contract as the board’s head chief, Thompson also made a request for a mandatory offer for a social studies teaching position in the district starting August 1st, 2015.
“The request ignored the fact that Dr. Thompson is currently under investigation,” stated McQuillin. “I made an amendment to the motion to accept the superintendent’s requests that would have made his resignation effective immediately if he was indicted. The amendment also would have voided the social studies teacher offer if there was an indictment.”
McQuillin added that he was simply trying avoid a situation where the superintendent is indicted and attempts to retain all of the benefits of his contract to the “detriment of the county’s children and taxpayers.”
Board members Phillip Obie and newly-elected board member, Sally Wofford, supported McQuillin in his motion, however, in the end Board Chair Kent Murray added that the current agreement would not impact any future decision by the board on the matter.
It’s not known yet which school in the county Thompson will teach at.
He is currently under investigation by the South Carolina Attorney General’s Office for the ‘Yes 4 Schools’ campaign. The district’s communications director, Amy Kovach, has already been indicted for ethics violations and forgery related to the campaign. So far, Thompson has not been indicted.
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