DENMARK, S.C. - The chairman of the Bamberg School District 2 (Denmark-Olar) Board of Trustees questioned during the group's March meeting whether Board Vice Chairman Ann Causby should remain a trustee because of ethics violations filed against her and because of the two lawsuits she has filed against the district.

The agenda, which included proposed policy changes related to organization of the school board, board member qualifications and board member code of ethics, was presented for board approval.

Causby, in addressing the proposed policy changes, said, "The proposal indicated is a willful and malicious attack directed at me to prevent me from serving on this board. I believe these changes as proposed are both contrary to the law and that only the governor of South Carolina can remove a public official elected by the voters. I will vote 'no' to the proposed changes."

The first reading of the proposed policy changes passed by a vote of 3-2. Voting in favor were Maynor and Trustees Loretta Goodman and Larry Bias. Causby and Trustee Blossom Thompson opposed the policy changes.

Maynor then asked Goodman to read a letter dated Feb. 25 that he wrote to S.C. Attorney General Henry McMaster. The letter asked for guidance on whether a school board trustee can be removed because of numerous ethics violations resulting in an accumulation of fines.

Maynor alleges Causby was in violation when she failed to file a pre-election campaign report and also failed to file a statement of economic interests.

Maynor's letter also states that Causby ignored notices, which caused the S.C. Ethics Commission to file a complaint for each violation. Each complaint ended in a judgment against Causby, a public reprimand and a $2,000 fine in addition to the late filing penalties that were already assessed. To date, according to Maynor, the commission's Debtor's List has Causby owing $26,779.75 in fines.

Additionally, Maynor noted that "Causby filed state and federal lawsuits against Bamberg School District 2, the district's superintendent, the district's attorney and me. The district's attorney (Charles Boykin) has been dismissed from both lawsuits, and the district superintendent and I were dismissed from the state lawsuit (related to the Freedom of Information Act). However, the district, the superintendent and I are still parties to the federal court action. I also requested guidance on whether a board member may sue the district to which the member belongs as well as other issues by letter dated August 6, 2007."

Maynor requested that the Attorney General's office provide guidance on whether Causby is qualified to continue serving on the board while the violations are still pending.

In response to Maynor's letter to the Attorney General, Causby released the following statement:

"My failure to make a timely filing with the S.C. Ethics Commission occurred because the Commission's reporting form was mailed to me while I was away from home for an extended period of hospitalization with my life hanging in the balance. Much to the amazement of both medical science and me, I survived and returned home to find the S.C. Ethics Commission's form in my accumulated mail. The Commission accepted but declined to excuse my tardiness in reporting and imposed an exorbitant monetary fine. I am undertaking to work out an agreed resolution of the matter with the Commission with the hope that fairness and reason will prevail."

Causby went on in the statement to condemn the efforts of some on the school board to oust her, describing those efforts as "disgustingly despicable avenues of attack on me as part of their persistent and continuing undertaking to grind me down and drive me off the board, thereby escaping my efforts to hold the board appropriately accountable to the people who elected us to be accountable to them."

She said the effort to get her off the board "is destined to fail."

Causby further stated, "Nowhere should the commitment to live by the law be greater than in the community of America's schools. So, despite this clear act of retaliation against me for seeking the courts' assistance in providing the people of Denmark a school board committed to conducting its business in a manner consistent with the law, I shall continue simultaneously to seek justice in the courts and perform my duties as a school board trustee to the best of my ability."

Causby filed two lawsuits, one alleging violation of the Freedom of Information Act, and a federal lawsuit. As a result of a hearing held January 10 at the Bamberg County Courthouse, the court ruled that the S.C. FOIA does not support a cause of action against persons in their individual capacity. For that reason, Maynor, Superintendent Dr. Secaida Howell and Boykin were released from that lawsuit.

Lewis Cromer, Causby's attorney, said he would amend the pleadings and name the school district as the defendant in what will be a non-jury trial in the FOIA lawsuit. Cromer and attorney Bruce Davis, on behalf of Causby, filed a lawsuit July 26, 2007, in the Court of Common Pleas claiming violations of the FOIA.

A federal lawsuit was also filed on Causby's behalf on July 20, 2007, against Maynor and Howell for violation of First Amendment rights, section 1983, and for assault and civil conspiracy.

In the federal lawsuit, Causby alleges that on June 11, 2007, Maynor, "in a rude and angry manner," approached her during the meeting in a "threatening and intimidating" way and "in loud and violent language threatened and berated her, causing her to be in great fear of her life and safety, causing her to leave the meeting and to not return."

Causby also alleges that beginning in December 2006, she repeatedly attempted to obtain "key financial information needed for budgeting and financial oversight purposes and the prevention of fraud and mismanagement. Causby alleges the information she sought was withheld by Howell and others, including Maynor.

Causby said she became aware of "improper and illegal practices by Howell and other members of the district's administrative staff," claiming Howell, Boykin and certain members of the board withheld the information.

T&D Correspondent Vic Whetstone can be reached by e-mail at vwhets@bellsouth.net or by phone at 803-793-3402. Discuss this and other stories online at TheTandD.com.

You must be logged in to comment.