WCBD-TV: News, Weather, and Sports for Charleston, SC
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—Two months after a grand jury indicted Rodney Thompson for an ethics violation concerning the 2012 ‘Yes 4 Schools’ campaign, school board members recently gave him a positive review for job performance.
The satisfactory evaluation means the former superintendent will receive a $17,000 contribution to his annuity.
The move, however, doesn’t sit well with all school board members. Mac McQuillin represents Daniel Island, a portion of Hanahan and Goose Creek and says the evaluation should have never taken place.
“As a result of the evaluations, a superintendent that wasn’t there and is resigning next month will now receive $17,000,” the District 2 board member told WCBD-TV. “That’s money that should be used in the children’s classrooms for teachers and students.”
Only five of nine board members were at Tuesday’s meeting, the minimum to make a quorum.
While McQuillin and fellow board member, Phillip Obie, opposed the measure, board Chairman Jim Hayes defended it.
“Dr. Thompson’s indictment is on something that occurred 2½ year ago and has nothing to do with this past school year,” Hayes said. “So this, to me, is a time we should be doing this and going through the evaluation as set forth in his contract.”
In April, Thompson was indicted on an ethics violations for reportedly using public funds, property, and time to influence the outcome of an election.
The indictment alleges that Thompson, while Berkeley County School District superintendent, did authorize and agree to the production and dissemination of pro-referendum campaign material and campaign communications using public resources, and did use and authorize the use of public resources to lead and direct pro-referendum efforts, all of which promoted and supported a “yes” vote in the school bond referendum held on November 6, 2012.
Since the indictment, Thompson has remained on paid administrative leave.
The satisfactory evaluation means that Thompson will receive a contribution of 10 percent of his annual $168,714 salary to an annuity of his choice.
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