Latest news with #BeaufortCountySchoolDistrict
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- Yahoo
Lawsuit: 2nd teaching aide accused of abusing student in Beaufort Co. schools
The parents of a student with a pending lawsuit alleging abuse of their child at school in 2024 are now accusing a different teacher's aide of similar abuse, according to documents recently filed in civil court. The student described in the victim as a 'young non-verbal, autistic child.' Despite another teacher claiming she witnessed the alleged assault, the aide in question since denied hitting the child during an interview with law enforcement. The family requested that the teacher who they claim most recently assaulted the child would be added to the original lawsuit. They also seek to add the third-party staffing agency that hired the aide. In early April, attorneys filed additional documents to try and add two new defendants to the lawsuit: Christopher Lecount, a Bluffton High School teaching aide who allegedly abused the same student two years after the initial incident, and the agency, Soliant. According to the district's spokesperson, Candace Bruder, the district employs 14 individuals through Soliant. The documents allege that Lecount struck the student, violated the student's constitutional rights and caused additional harm to an already vulnerable child. When asked about Lecount's employment status, Bruder said he is no longer working in BCSD schools. Efforts to reach Lecount through Facebook were unsuccessful. Last year, the Beaufort County School District and two school administrators were named in a federal lawsuit for allegedly employing a teacher with a history of abusing disabled students. The school district also is accused of covering up the abuse after the teacher, Shandequa Jenkins, physically punished the student in 2023. According to police reports, Lecount, a 46-year-old from Pooler, Georgia, was arrested and charged with third-degree assault and battery on March 10 after surrendering after the issuance of an arrest warrant. He was a teaching aide that specifically worked with students with disabilities at Bluffton High School. The arrest and charge came after Bluffton High School's principal, Matt Hall, contacted the Bluffton Police Department in reference to one of their teachers allegedly hitting a student in class on March 3. The deputy who interviewed Lecount wrote a synopsis of the interview, which is attached in the police report. According to the synopsis, Lecount did not admit to hitting the child. Lecount told police that the number of recorded outbursts on the day of the incident were actually much lower than usual. However, he detailed several behavioral issues from the child in question, such as scratching Lecount's scalp, running away and yelling. Lecount said he would redirect the child's hands when there were any outbursts. Other than that, nothing out of the ordinary occurred, Lecount said. When questioned further about how the child could have been injured, the synopsis details, Lecount did not admit to any physical contact between his hand and the student's face. He said that the injury could have come from Velcro letters that the child was using earlier in the day. Images of Lecount's alleged scalp injuries from the student were submitted into evidence. Lecount alleged that the student often shows physical aggression during school activities. Another teaching aide witnessed the incident, according to the police report. A synopsis of the interview between the witness and a deputy revealed that they observed the student trying to rub Lecount's head, and shortly after, she heard a loud smack. She believed that Lecount hit the student on the left side of their face. When the witness asked Lecount why he hit the student, he apologized, according to the synopsis. Additional documents state that in a second interview and written statement, the witness reiterated the same details of the event. Last April, Bluffton's H.E. McCracken Middle School Principal Ryan Milling and Vice Principal Joseph Hollington were named in a federal complaint, which alleged the school leaders did not tell the school district about the incident of abuse until they were confronted by law enforcement. The lawsuit also named Jenkins, the aide who allegedly assaulted the student. It describes how Jenkins reportedly grabbed and hit the autistic child with a wooden ruler during school in 2023 when the student was less than 14 years old. Their parents reported the child was extremely bruised and has developmentally regressed since. In the lawsuit, they said the child flinches when touched by an adult, expecting to be hit. Jenkins resigned Feb. 6, 2024, four days after the Bluffton Police Department arrested her for third-degree misdemeanor assault and battery, according to previous reporting. Milling and Hollington are still employees of the school district, Bruder confirmed. The district's directory says Milling serves as the Coordinator for the dual enrollment program with Technical College of the Lowcountry. Holling is still listed as McCracken Middle School's vice principal. On April 3, attorneys representing the family filed to request that the original and new claims be considered by the court as one lawsuit. Rob Metro, the attorney representing the student, believes that all of the claims should be tried and resolved in one singular lawsuit. Trying them separately would be wasteful and unnecessary, he said. On April 16 and 17, lawyers representing the school district, the two school administrators and the teacher originally named in the lawsuit, filed a motion asking the judge to deny the request. They believe that the incidents should not be addressed in separate lawsuits since, they claim in court documents, the facts of the incident are unrelated to each other and that they occurred at different schools.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Students Fighting Book Bans Are the Focus of the New Documentary Banned Together
Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Just four days after Donald Trump took office earlier this year, his Department of Education (may it rest in peace) released a statement declaring book bans a 'hoax.' As someone who spent countless hours in school board meetings to fight book-banning attempts in my own district, I wish this claim had even an ounce of truth in it. The new documentary film Banned Together (available on Apple TV+ and Amazon Prime Video) debunks the Trump administration's blatant lie that Americans are safe from book bans. The documentary follows my efforts to preserve intellectual freedom in Beaufort, South Carolina, alongside student activists Isabella 'Izzy' Troy Brazoban and Millie Bennett. My personal experience in combating censorship started in 2022 when complaints from two community members resulted in the removal of 97 books from every school in the Beaufort County School District (BSCD). Izzy, Millie, and I attended three different schools when the books were taken, but we each found our way to school board meetings that winter. The three of us, along with several other students who understood and appreciated the value of access to diverse literature, began meeting biweekly to research and draft public comments that showcased the endless variety of arguments for keeping the government out of school libraries. Every other Tuesday, we stood before the board in a strategic, predetermined order to maximize the impact of that evening's comments. I reviewed the history of public education as a pillar of functioning democracy and documented historical instances of book-banning to demonstrate the anti-democratic nature of censorship. Millie spoke to the importance of queer representation in literature for LGBTQ+ students who often lack resources and support in small, conservative communities like Beaufort. Izzy shared her own experiences with racism and familial substance abuse to show that trying to 'protect' students by taking away books with dark storylines is ineffective and even dangerous for the significant portion of kids who have already experienced similar hardships in their own lives. Slowly but surely, the BCSD Board voted to comply with recommendations from community-led review committees, returning a few books at a time over the course of the year. In the end, 91 of the 97 books were returned to our schools. The School Board's hopeful voting record was a major win for Beaufort County, but the story has ended differently for so many other school districts in South Carolina and across the country. PEN America has documented 'nearly 16,000 book bans in public schools nationwide since 2021,' a number that is rising alarmingly quickly with each passing school year. When Atomic Focus Entertainment — the production company behind Banned Together — approached Millie, Izzy, and me about filming a documentary to capture our community's response to censorship efforts, the story quickly and necessarily morphed. What started as local activism for Izzy, Millie, and me became a national undertaking when the three of us had the opportunity to meet and interview scholars, politicians, and authors about the United States' dramatic rise in censorship. Howard University law professor Justin Hansford explained to us that the First Amendment not only protects Americans' right to express ideas, but to receive information as well — meaning the removal of access to specific novels directly violates the Constitution. PEN America's Jonathan Friedman illustrated how book banning has opened the door to classroom censorship, discouraging educators from teaching the most up-to-date and accurate curricula. Bestselling author Jodi Picoult indicated that the real motivation behind banning books is a fear that kids may wind up thinking differently than their parents — on a whole host of issues. Over and over, everyone we talked to reaffirmed one central message: the book-banning movement is about something so much bigger than books. The same movement started by attacking Critical Race Theory as a proxy for targeting Black and brown students. Queer and transgender students — like my own brother — were added to the list of demonized identities as far-right extremists came after their stories in schools and libraries. And now the Trump administration is coming after higher education by utilizing unconstitutional fear tactics to dismantle DEI programs and deport international students who challenge its policy positions. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD) reminded us that censorship is a core function of fascism, as seen by the book burning carried out in Nazi Germany. Cutting off access to ideas that threaten a singular, narrow perspective of the American experience is inherently undemocratic, in addition to being harmful to students with marginalized identities. Raskin's frank analysis is a good reminder that book banners have never been on the right side of history. Needless to say, my last year of high school certainly would have been a lot less stressful if book bans were indeed a mere hoax. But, unfortunately, instances of censorship are happening all over America as part of a larger agenda to silence diverse voices, rewrite history, and suppress the critical thinking that is the hallmark of an informed electorate. As students, we cannot sit idly until our favorite book is taken from our classrooms or our coolest teacher is harassed into leaving her profession. Consider the words of Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller spoken in Germany following the Holocaust: 'First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out — because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me — and there was no one left to speak for me.' When right-wing extremists come after public education and First Amendment rights, they are coming after you. They are coming after your ability to consume information, to read books that speak to your identity, to develop empathy for your peers, to think critically about the world around you. If you're wondering what you can do, watching Banned Together is a great first step. You'll learn more about the context surrounding book bans and censorship, and see how students and communities alike have fought back against these harmful policies. Hopefully, the film will leave you feeling inspired, optimistic, and ready to take action; after all, we have the joy of learning, literature, diversity, and inclusivity on our side. And in the words of This Book is Gay author Juno Dawson, 'Who doesn't love joy?' Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Check out more Teen Vogue education coverage: Affirmative Action Benefits White Women Most How Our Obsession With Trauma Took Over College Essays So Many People With Student Debt Never Graduated College The Modern American University Is a Right-Wing Institution
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Beaufort County Schools looking to 'Build a Brighter Future'
BEAUFORT COUNTY, SC (WSAV) – Beaufort County School District principals, curriculum coordinators and lead teachers will be uniting for the 'Building a Brighter Future' in-person hiring event to interview qualified candidates for classroom teaching jobs. The event will take place from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at Bluffton High School located at 12 H.E. McCracken Circle in Bluffton. Interested candidates can register online. Beaufort County School District boasts one of the highest starting teacher salaries in the state of S.C. 'Our teacher recruitment events are the perfect opportunity to connect with school leaders, explore career opportunities, and learn how you can make a meaningful impact in the classroom,' said Talent Acquisition Specialist, Monique Brown, PhD. 'Join us and take the next step in your teaching journey!' Educators who aren't able to attend the event can complete an online application to be considered for employment by visiting the district's website and clicking on the orange 'CAREERS' icon. For more information about BCSD recruiting events, please visit their website or email them at bcsdrecruiters@ Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Free college classes are now being offered to Beaufort County students. Here's what to know
Ready to kick-start college or maybe make your degree a little cheaper? This year, the Beaufort County School District and Technical College of the Lowcountry are opening applications for their 2025-2026 free dual enrollment program for high school students. This program, called BCSD Tides, is the first semester this opportunity is open to students, allowing qualified rising ninth-grade students to enroll in a full-time dual enrollment cohort. This program has been in the works for a while now, with BCSD and TCL working together to fit this program to the students' needs. Now, Beaufort County students can kick-start their higher education and have the chance to leave high school with two associate's degrees and up to three technical certificates. 'The BCSD Tides dual enrollment model is the result of both learning institutions' commitment to elevating student learning experiences through technology and teaching,' said Dr. Mary Stratos, chief instructional services officer for the district. Like traditional dual enrollment courses, students will earn both high school and college credit for completing classes taught by TCL instructors. Accepted students will complete the program as a cohort beginning in ninth grade and can continue through high school graduation. According to program administrators, there will be 50 students per cohort year, divided up into groups of 25 students at each TCL location. Students can choose one of two associate degree pathways as a 'major' for their ninth and 10th grade years and then can declare an associate degree minor that comes with a technical program emphasis for their junior and senior years. Dual enrollment classes are free to Beaufort County district students. In addition, the Beaufort County School District has a Memorandum of Agreement that incurs all costs, including textbooks and meals. Students attending the following high schools are eligible for this cohort: Bluffton Hilton Head Island May River High School Whale Branch Early College Beaufort Battery Creek High School Rising ninth-grade students who are interested in BCSD Tides and are currently enrolled in private, charter or homeschool organizations are also encouraged to apply. Eligibility is based on the following criteria: Enrolled in BCSD Must be a legal U.S. citizen or legal resident Must have a 3.0 GPA (on a 4.0 unweighted scale) A qualifying PSAT score Additional criteria as determined by TCL Admissions and BCSD (this includes a holistic view of the student and academic readiness) This free dual enrollment program is intended to provide more than just college credit, it provides students with critical soft skills, time management and other necessary skills to excel in higher education and the workforce. 'The BCSD Tides program reflects a deepened partnership between BCSD and TCL in providing district students with more innovative and unique opportunities to excel while in high school as well as advance their academic and professional futures,' said BCSD Superintendent Dr. Frank Rodriguez. This program is unique in its design, as BCSD Tides students can complete the program with two associate degrees and a technical certificate from TCL. This dual enrollment program offers a variety of majors and minors that students can apply and benefit from in their future studies. These programs include: Majors (Associate Degrees): Associate of Arts: University Transfer Pathway Associate of Science: University Transfer Pathway Minors (Certificate Degrees): Associate of Applied Science/Computer Technology-Programming Associate of Applied Science/Computer Technology-Networking Associate of Applied Science/Cybersecurity Associate of Applied Science/Business Administration Associate of Science/Allied Health Science Associate of Science/Allied Health Science - Medical Assisting Associate of Science/Allied Health Science - Entrepreneurship/Small Business Certificate The option to declare a minor with a technical certificate is an added option for upper-grade high school students who want to continue specializing their education and earn class credit. Certificate degrees are useful because they are focused on their objective and are related to a specific job or career niche, setting students apart in college applications or the workforce. 'What I enjoy most about teaching in the BCSD Tides program is how the students challenge me as an instructor,' said Daniel Herrin, an English instructor at the TCL. 'They are bright and curious, always looking beyond the standard boundaries and approaches, which constantly challenges me to re-think how I teach.' Students interested in this program who do not attend a Beaufort County high school are still encouraged to apply. This includes private, charter and homeschool students. The MOA for this program permits students within a 50-mile radius to be eligible. Some private and charter schools may already have a dual enrollment agreement set in place, so check with your school to see if that applies. For homeschool students, you must register as a student through the Beaufort County School District. Visit the BCSD registration page to contact the correct school. If a student is above the ninth-grade level and is interested in this program, they can still apply but may not reap the same benefits, such as earning an associate's degree in time for high school graduation. Their acceptance depends on available cohort space. The BCSD and TCL are looking to keep 'pure cohorts' to preserve the uniqueness of the program and allow participants to experience all these classes have to offer. Eligible students can apply to BCSD Tides starting March 1 through April 11, 2025. To apply, visit Program advisors state that applicants should be notified by mid-May of their acceptance. They also state that there will be an appeals process at the end of May for those who wish to do so. Classes are divided between TCL's New River Campus and Beaufort Mather Campus. Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and May River High Schools will be located at the New River Campus in Bluffton. Whale Branch Early College, Beaufort and Battery Creek High Schools will be located at the Beaufort Mather Campus in Beaufort. Both BCSD and TCL program representatives state that before all else, students involved in this dual enrollment program are students of their zoned high schools first. Meaning that continued participation in sports, clubs and other extracurriculars through their zoned high school is encouraged. For more information on the program and how to apply, BCSD and TCL are hosting the following sessions: Virtual Information Session: Wednesday, March 5 Virtual, 5:30-6:30 p.m. RSVP here Northern Beaufort County: Monday, March 17 Beaufort Mather Campus, Building 12 Auditorium, 5:30-6:30 p.m. RSVP is required Southern Beaufort County: Wednesday, March 19 New River Campus, Room 126, 5:30-6:30 p.m. RSVP is required If you are interested in a tour, you can visit the TCL's New River Campus in Bluffton. You can schedule a tour by clicking here or visiting If you're wondering if dual enrollment is the right path for you, your school counselor can help. Battery Creek High School: Kirsten Nash Contact: or (843) 322-5658 Beaufort High School: David Favata Contact: or (843) 322-2025 Bluffton High School: Katie Cox Contact: or (843) 706-8947 Hilton Head Island High School: Julie Markle Contact: or (843) 689-4918 May River High School: Keisha Glover Contact: or (843 )836-4870 Whale Branch Early College High School: Giovanni Glover Contact: gglover@ or (843) 466-2771
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- General
- Yahoo
How do SC book bans actually work? Here's what happens in Beaufort County schools, libraries
Book bans have been a popular topic in recent news articles and on social media platforms. But what even is a book ban and how do they work? Different facilities approach book bans in their own way to uphold certain standards and protocols when addressing these concerns. Here's what happens and what to know if a book ban takes place in Beaufort County locations. Books often go through periods of being banned and then being unbanned based on the discretion of a review committee, typically at either the state or local level. If a concerned person wants to have a book removed, formally referred to as 'challenge the book,' they must first read the book in its entirety and fill out a challenge form explaining why, how and citing where in the book there is offensive wording or another issue. Most challenges happen at public libraries or schools. Once the challenge form has been submitted, a review committee analyzes all the material within the complaint and casts a vote determining whether or not to keep the book on the shelves. Depending on the nature of the challenge and the final decision of the review committee, book bans can come in different forms. When books do get banned, they can range from only a few to hundreds of copies no longer available at a library or school district. Here are the most common kinds of bans, according to PEN America: Banned in libraries and classrooms: Individual titles are placed off-limits for students in either some or all libraries and classrooms and are no longer used in curriculum. Banned in libraries: This is a process where administrators or school boards remove individual titles from school libraries where they were previously available. Books in this category are not necessarily banned from classroom curriculum and the books can still be available at different grade levels. Banned in classrooms: School boards or other school authorities have barred individual titles from classroom libraries, curriculum, or optional reading lists. This only impacts classrooms and the books may still be available in libraries and other locations. Banned pending investigation: Instances where a title was removed during an investigation to determine what restrictions, if any, were applicable. In cases where such investigations have concluded, titles have been further restricted or banned as a result. Beaufort County School District The Beaufort County School District outlines its policy regarding book bans in its Administrative Regulation IS-38.1. The Beaufort County School District states that they uphold the principle of intellectual freedom, promote academic freedom, the student's right to read and the fair and reasonable competition of ideas and information. BCSD officials are not permitted to remove any book from a school library but the district administrators have the right to institute an Administrative Review Committee to conduct a review if deemed appropriate. When challenging a book, any student, employee, parent or legal guardian has the right to challenge a book. Once the challenge is submitted, the BCSD review committee will analyze the complaint and decide within 15 business days of the challenge being filed. Decision Process If the committee recommends any changes regarding access to the material in question, such as the addition or removal of the material, the Superintendent is responsible for implementing and communicating those changes. If the committee recommends the book in question should be removed, the BCSD must ensure no other copies exist in school library circulation within the BCSD for the school level it is being removed from. If the committee recommends the material in question is acceptable and can stay in schools, the BCSD must immediately place such materials back into circulation. If anyone who files a challenge would like to appeal their request after a final decision is made by the BCSD, they must do so within seven days to the Board of Education. Parents and guardians do have the option for certain materials not to be available to their specific child and can do so by submitting the 'Request to Opt-Out of School Library Materials Form,' available on the BCSD website. For information regarding the status of any district library materials currently under review, you can visit their webpage. Beaufort County Libraries The Beaufort County Libraries operate differently from Beaufort County schools. Libraries are tasked with the responsibility to provide materials and information to meet the needs and interests of the public they serve. The Beaufort County Libraries are thorough and thoughtful and take on each removal request carefully. According to their website and library managers, The Beaufort County Library firmly endorses the Library Bill of Rights, the Freedom to Read Statement, the Freedom to View Statement and the American Library Association Code of Ethics. Collection development in each library is carried out under the guidance of established policies based on the needs of user groups, service objectives, collection specifications and current selection needs. The choice of whether to read library materials is entirely an individual and confidential matter. If a library member wants the library to reconsider any material they have, they must also go through a challenge request called a Request for Reconsideration of Library Material form. This form is available at all Beaufort County Library locations. Library staff members review the completed reconsideration request and then give it to the branch manager, who will then contact the library director. The director will appoint a committee of at least three staff members and/or area specialists to evaluate the material. The committee will examine the material in question and will determine whether the item in question meets the criteria to stay or be removed from the library's collection within 30 business days. The title under reconsideration will remain available for circulation while under review. If anyone who files a challenge would like to appeal their request after a final decision is made, they can do so by writing to the Library Board of Trustees within 10 business days of the decision. It's important to note that for both Beaufort County Schools and Beaufort County Libraries, a challenge report must be filled out in its entirety with all required information to be taken under proper consideration. Bookstores Since bookstores are private and independently owned businesses, it is up to the discretion of the business owner what is placed on their shelves. In most cases, bookstores are not the biggest supporters of banning books and in many cases, you will see titles of these books displayed on the shelves. This also holds true for bigger bookstore chain locations like Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million. 'We are a private business, it is up to the discretion of the parent, guardian or yourself if you want to read that book,' said Bruce Page, owner of The Beaufort Bookstore.
