Timmonsville District Four Leadership Charges Johnson and Williams With Selling Out to SC Superintendent Molly Spearman

Superintendent Spearman continues to frame herself regarding the closure of all Florence Four schools. During a Zoom meeting on February 2, 2022, with representatives from Florence One, Florence Four and another organization (now we understand as not to have to legally inform the press of the meeting- no board had a quorum present and apparently the media was not notified. There should be a recording of the meeting,) she suggested turning the Timmonsville Education Complex over to a hospital.

During this meeting it was learned that Timmonsville has four million dollars of ESSER/Covid money that will now be inherited by Florence One that has not been used to mitigate issues in Timmonsville. To add insult to injury the millage rate in Timmonsville will increase by 59 mills, increasing the taxes on the residents of Timmonsville to help pay for debt incurred by Florence One. This is being done without any citizen input from the people of Timmonsville.

It appears she has been playing the long game with the Florence Delegation, Florence County Council, District One and others to take the property of Florence Four (all the property is debt free) and give it to the rich and powerful for their benefit. Florence Four met every demand- now the district's student population is too small. Keep in mind she pushed students for the last several years to graduate early who were not ready to graduate (they now roam the streets contributing to the school to prison pipeline) and she, along with District One devised the tuition free scheme to further depopulate the schools of Florence Four. She knew full well that the schools would meet her demands, but the one thing she could do and do successfully- depopulate the schools.

During the meeting, according to District Four's representatives, she emphasized that Senator Johnson and Representative Williams were in line with her because she could not take the actions she was taking without their approval. If that is true, why hasn't either of these men responded to a request to meet with Florence Four's board. Shameful!

It's 2022 not 1822- taking the land owned by the descendants of slaves, cancelling an election in an area predominantly populated by the descendants of slaves, snatching the children out of the arms of the descendants of slaves and shipping them to another area, all of this overseen by drivers- representatives who themselves are the descendants of slaves. History repeats itself. Question, How are the Black children who currently reside in Florence One doing in school on standardized tests in the area of discipline, in the IB and Honors programs, and other curriculum designed for the academically gifted?

Spearman is a great tactician in taking advantage of those who give her the benefit of the doubt believing she had the people's best interest at heart. Of course, preying on the vulnerable with the aid of her enablers.

Regards,

Dr. Gary L. Burgess, Sr., Spokesperson

Florence County School District Four Board of Trustees

Scheme put into operation-The land grab, dismantling the board, shipping off the children, unlawful consolidation.

STEP 1- Memorandum of Agreements 2016, 2017- Mutual Help: Brockington Elementary/Johnson Middle.

STEP 2-May 9, 2018- Letter from Spearman’s Office Declaring a State of Emergency- will work to get Florence Four on track. Spearman unlawfully cancel’s board 2020 election. March 2021 Letter stating the closing of Timmonsville. July 21, 2021, Tuition free scheme put in place to drain Timmonsville of her student population.

STEP 3- Land sale/give away to the County of Florence by Spearman July 2021.

Christmas 2021-Spearman visits Timmonsville and tells students they will have opportunities in Florence One to learn, cook, and do hair.

STEP 4-Letter to Florence One School Board January 10, 2022, stating she will unilaterally close all the schools in Florence Four and ship the students off to Florence One Schools to start a magnet school for a new population of students, although Florence Four-Timmonsville had met all the demands placed on the district since 2016.

(The Timmonsville Education Complex and all its property is paid for. The building is only 21 years old. Now the people of Timmonsville’s property will be enjoyed by others who did not work to pay for the property.)

*She did not notify any officials, elected or otherwise, or parents in the Timmonsville area about the January 10, 2022, letter.