Charleston County Legislative Delegation meets in North Charleston to discuss disolving constituent school boards

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – Constituent school boards in Charleston County could soon be a thing of the past.

The Charleston County Legislative Delegation held a meeting Friday morning at North Charleston City Hall to meet with the public to hear their thoughts about eliminating the constituent school boards.

“The bill that I’ve submitted in the State House would eliminate the constituent school boards,” said State Rep. Joe Bustos, who represents District 112.

Several current and former constituent school board members expressed their support for the board, saying they help decide what happens to a student who is referred to for expulsion.

District employees said numerous incidents occurred where students who should have been expelled were allowed back to school by the constituent school boards.

“He assaulted a teacher to the point that when the student returned to North Charleston High School, I had to run behind a teacher because he said he quit — because the student was back in the class,” said North Charleston High School Principal Henry Darby during Friday’s meeting.

Darby added: “There was another student who found out one of his classmates had some money and met him at the bus stop, and with a gun, he pistol whipped the young man, took his money, shot in the air, and the student was returned to school.”

Bustos said after hearing some of the testimony, he is even more convinced things have to change.

Rep. Bustos said he believes this bill could go before the full house sometime next week, adding that if the Charleston Legislative Delegation approves, it probably would pass and be signed by the governor.