ST. MATTHEWS – Old wounds from a previous decade are apparent in Calhoun County as three outspoken school board candidates vie for the District 4 seat in the Nov. 4 nonpartisan election.

Former board chairman Michael Drake, who is seeking a third four-year term, is being challenged in District 4 by Joyce Jones Parrish and Dr. Ernest “Bucky” Stokes.

Asking “are you better off” after his eight years on the board, Drake compares the progress made in public education with the conditions he found when he moved to the county in 1992. And, he defends decisions by the board’s three-member majority to facilitate new school construction without raising tax millage. He mounts an emotional defense of his record and minces no words in lambasting his opponents in his support of the bond issuance.

Parrish and Stokes are both former educational leaders in the district and both opponents of the board’s $32 million construction spending plan.

That plan allows a lease/purchase arrangement for the construction of a new St. Matthews facility and improvements to other schools, while closing Guinyard Elementary and John Ford Middle schools.

Parrish, a former principal in the district, argues the board should represent the wishes of the black-majority school district.

A former district superintendent, Stokes complains of lack of public input and what “amounts to a $60 million mortgage” in his disagreement with board policies that led to the new construction.

Stokes held the top administrative spot for four years before resigning in 1993. In the aftermath of a contentious bond issue and board upheaval in 1988, the superintendent came under fire for the purchase of alcoholic beverages for after-hours school/business patrons’ events with district funds. As a result, the three incumbent school board trustees who were up for re-election in 1992 were ousted and Stokes announced his resignation a month later.

In 2004, Parrish filed for the District 4 seat but then withdrew as a candidate because she had taken a position as a teacher in a critical needs area of the school district.

Most of the board votes are 3-2, following the racial lines of the district, although Board Chairman Tom Arant, who stunned the black candidate by winning election two years ago in a predominantly black district, is white. He again provided an unorthodox election stunner by replacing Drake as board chairman, when the then-chairman was out sick.

Arant has endorsed Stokes for the seat.

District 4 has a total of 1,982 registered voters. Of those, 1,120 are white; 851 are black and 11 are designated “other.” The district includes portions of the precincts of Center Hill, Dixie, Murph Mill and Fall Branch.

Michael Drake

“Are you better off today than you were eight years ago?” That, says Drake, is the question District 4 voters should ask themselves.

“I know I did what was right for the children of Calhoun County and the taxpayers of Calhoun County,” he said. “There’s always room to improve; we’re not number one yet. But, we’re 25th out of 85 ... Why support an old system that doesn’t work? I hope on Election Day, the people will say we’re on the right track; the school board really cares.”

Acknowledging the race is based on the one hot-button issue, Drake says he can’t understand the opposition to the new K-8 school being constructed across from Calhoun County High School in St. Matthews.

“Why don’t you want the children in Calhoun County to be in the newest, finest, most up-to-date technological facility, a building that’s handicapped accessible and (Environmental Protection Agency) approved, that we can afford? ... Why would you not want that? We should all get a letter of thanks from the taxpayers,” he said.

“There’s hot running water in all aspects of the building; there’s no lead paint ... Some of the construction done years ago in the old renovations of John Ford and Guinyard is the shabbiest work ever done, and the contractor went bankrupt. That was when Bucky Stokes was in charge ... It was all flash and no substance. That was all they did at John Ford ... They raised the tax millage 15 to 20 mills when they were doing shabby construction,” Drake said. “None of them express any concern about the direction the school district is going and any positive change for the children.”

As for Parrish’s complaint that she’s “very concerned that the people aren’t listening to the black community,” Drake says the board has to “weigh it all out, pro and con.”

Parrish’s other complaint that his children attend school out of the district, elicits a strong response from Drake. One son is in college, one child with special needs attends a small Christian private school that fits her needs, and the other child goes to public schools in Lexington County, he says.

“When I moved to Calhoun County, the superintendent was Bucky Stokes, the principal was Joyce Parrish and a teacher was Tom Arant, someone like a little Grizzly Adams,” Drake said. The former Lexington County resident describes himself as “dumbfounded” at how backwards the school district was in 1992. “This was my experience ... Half the community then would not even think of sending their children to the public schools of Bucky Stokes, Joyce Parrish and Tom Arant.”

During a visit to check out Bethlehem Elementary School, Drake says, he was shocked by the sight of “grass knee high, grown men playing basketball and I found a needle on the playground.

There were beer bottles where the men were playing basketball and old desks. I said ‘this can’t be the school. This has got to be abandoned. I’d be damned if I’ll send my son someplace like this.’”

“I got involved hoping that I could fix it,” he says. And, although a quality school system wasn’t available to his oldest son, Drake says it is available now.

“Do you really want to go back to those days when Bucky Stokes was superintendent?” he asked.

“Do you want to go back to those days and find out that Bucky Stokes is having his liquor parties for his pals ... It was p- - - poor management and a p- - - poor superintendent in the past, and the school board followed the status quo.”

Stressing that he’s “100 percent behind parental choice,” Drake maintains if the board does its job to make Calhoun public schools the best they can be, parents will want their children to attend.

“The parent is the one in charge and the one who makes that decision. In South Carolina, you have the right to home-school or send your child to the school of your choice. When it comes to tax money, that’s where people get all upset. But, no one can dictate where you work, where you go to church ... that’s what’s great about America. If Mrs. Parrish has her way, it will be dictated by the board. She thinks she knows better.”

Arguing that the Calhoun schools can achieve excellence, Drake cites recent academic achievements and notes the district, led by a local superintendent, now ranks 25th out of the 85 school districts statewide. That was his goal, he says, when he first ran for office.

As for the school construction project itself, Drake says the spending plan is a conservative one that will provide quality facilities without increasing tax millage. Three public hearings were held on the issue, he said.

And, Drake says parents can now see the Calhoun public schools as a viable choice. That choice of a quality public school system, he says, is particularly important in hard economic times. No longer is the county divided into white private schools and black public schools.

“We have a safe, clean, well-managed school system,” he said. “We’re getting the job done.”

Drake cites Mykeida Middleton, a Guinyard teacher honored by a Columbia television station, as the type of teacher Calhoun County needs. Her motto, he said, is “every day, every child, every chance.”

“She hit the nail on the head. It’s not black children, not white children. That’s her quote,” he said.

“She’s the teacher I want to show up with my child. I don’t want to see a Mrs. Parrish who thinks life’s so terrible or an administrator who hates the government.”

Drake is a native of Richland County, a former resident of Lexington County and an 11-1/2-year resident of Calhoun County. A graduate of Midlands Technical College, he owns a property damage appraisal company and he operates a poultry farm.

Joyce Jones Parrish

A former principal at St. John and Bethlehem elementary schools, Parrish says she’s been attending school board meetings for seven years.

“I have just been so interested in what I see happening and not happening. We have board members not representing the people who put them there. I’m very vocal,” she said. “This new school they’re building – that was not the wishes of the citizens.”

The construction plan, Parrish says, was an effort to appease the white community after the U.S. Justice Department rejected a proposal for a new school in white-majority Sandy Run.

“The blacks got something, and the whites got something. This was not what we wanted, not what the black community wanted,” she said.

Parents were told repeatedly, Parrish says, that a new school would be built between Cameron and St. Matthews for those on the eastern end of the county. With that location changed to St. Matthews, she argues, “it didn’t address the issue of those children who get on the bus very early in the morning ... It didn’t ease travel time, not for the black community and they’re the ones who have to ride the buses most of the time.”

Parrish also questions whether the new school will be large enough to house the student population.

“When I say ‘board,’ I’m talking about the majority, the three,” she said. “On so many issues, every vote is always 3-2 ... If one of the three starts voting against something, the other two go along. This is a predominantly black school district, and why do we have a predominantly white school board?”

Citing her commitment to putting children first, Parrish says her campaign is about “changing the makeup of a school board that does not adequately represent the constituents they serve.”

“Presently, Calhoun County has a school board whereas several of its members who have school-aged children do not allow their children to attend the public schools of Calhoun County,” she said.

“They’re trying to wipe things under the rug. It burns me up immensely,” she said. “I’m just passionate, and I love this community.”

A “firm believer in education,” Parrish says that opportunity should be available to all.

“Nobody should feel as if they don’t count, and there are people here in the county who feel they don’t count,” she said. “This is the year for changes to be made ... I really want to represent the people and be a voice for those who won’t speak for themselves. I want those voices to be heard.”

If elected, Parrish says she would “not be prejudicial to favorite groups, but would genuinely do what would be in the best interest for all.” Opposed to “personal agendas,” she says the present board “seems to have forgotten that this is not a country club with select memberships, where special favors are garnished for some elites.” The board should represent all facets of the public, she says.

A native of Orangeburg, Parrish has been a resident of St. Matthews since 1994. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from Claflin University and a master’s degree in education from South Carolina State University. Also, she has done graduate work at the University of South Carolina. She is a teacher in Richland County.

Ernest “Bucky” Stokes Jr.

The lack of public input into the bond issuance, Stokes says, is what led him to seek his first political office.

“The bond issue was approved without any input from the taxpayers. They looked at what was going on in the district as a closed shop,” said Stokes, who concedes the district has made good academic progress. “But, these are sticky issues. All of a sudden, the public is made aware of a $35 million school construction project.”

Stokes says he urged the administration to “go back to the drawing board” to allow the public to have a say in where the school should be built. The public hearings were held after the decisions had been made, he says.

“I told (Supt. Kenneth Westbury) if you take it back to the drawing board and let the people get involved, you may wind up with the same output, but you’d let them have a say,” he said. “But the deal had been cut. They just turned it over to the (state) for a lease/purchase plan. It had already been done. My request, put in writing at the request of the board chairman, was never considered because they had already decided ... “

Proposing a public information position for the district, Stokes complains there is no district newsletter, no report to the people and no public input.

And, now, “what gets me,” Stokes says, is that the board members seeking reelection “are using the achievement thing as a way to justify their leadership.”

“My point is we need a lot of public relations in the district. Achievement gains alone aren’t whatmeasures success of a school district,” he said. “Look at what we need to do really – involve the public with any progress. For success, you need consensus. If you’ve got a 3-2 board, it would bother me if I were Mr. Westbury to have only 60 percent of the board behind me.”

According to Stokes, he’s recommended the board use self evaluations each year to demonstrate accountability to the public and to promote harmonious relations.

His endorsement from Arant, Stokes says, is because “he felt like I would be of the same mind. I have a grassroots approach.”

Calling for a strategic plan, Stokes argues that “from the public standpoint, it looks like four people (the board majority and Westbury) made a decision on what amounts to a $60 million mortgage” for the next 25 years.

“It’s the worst thing in the world to do. It’s a completely different approach to management,” he said. “For these four, they didn’t need input ... I’ve been told the teachers were not even involved in a space utilization study.”

Not even considered, he says, was the option of “spending exactly the same amount of money you spend at Sandy Run” on renovations on John Ford and Guinyard “rather than build a brand new school.”

And, what are the plans for the two schools that are being closed, Stokes questions. Whatever is done, he says, should be done with public input.

“We added a big cafeteria at John Ford that the community uses,” said Stokes, referring to construction authorized during his administration. “It’s in perfect shape and Guinyard is almost new ... I don’t understand why we would have had to have this building program ... And, I’ve never understood micro-management when it comes to the public. It doesn’t work.”

“Appalled” by Drake’s comments concerning his leadership, Stokes says the issues that led to his resignation have all been resolved, a public apology was made and new policy was instituted. That’s long over, he says.

As for the issues of poor school construction during his administration, Stokes says construction at John Ford has “stood up over time,” and he says the problems at Guinyard happened after he had left the district. And, he asks, if the construction at the two schools is so shabby, then how can the district plan to sell or use the facilities now?

“Why doesn’t he ask (District 1 Trustee) Gary Porth these questions. Gary Porth was on my board. I’m sure he’d say the construction was good,” Stokes said. “To me, these are all low balls. Why can’t we deal with the here and now? That’s just a detour issue; old stuff ... He’s way out in left field on this.”

Stokes, who grew up in Columbia, has lived in Calhoun County since 1972. He has a bachelor’s degree in insurance business from the University of South Carolina, a master’s degree from Western Carolina University and a doctorate in education from USC. Since retirement, he has worked as an education consultant.

T&D Government Writer Tucker Lyon can be reached by e-mail at tlyon@timesanddemocrat.com or by phone at 803-533-5545.

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