Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
The Barnwell County Consolidated School District (BCCSD) board spent most of its final meeting renaming – or not renaming – several facilities.
The June 17 meeting was the board’s final meeting before the district consolidated with Barnwell School District 45. The main topic of business was three renaming requests for facilities.
“I think the new board should decide. I haven’t seen much documentation. I think there’s a lot of people in our history that need to be honored,” said board member Liana Orr, citing how a “lame duck board” should not make such decisions at its last meeting.
The first request was for the pickleball court at Blackville- Hilda High School to be renamed for the late Andre Jamison. This was approved by the board without many comments due to it previously being presented at the May meeting.
The Together Sisters requested the Blackville-Hilda High School auditorium be renamed for
Harry Lee Brown. He served on the school board for over 20 years and contributed to the recreation department.
“He represented Blackville. Right now, we don’t have anything to represent black excellence and black legacy,” said daughter Fonda Patrick.
The request was approved by the board, though Orr voted against it.
The third request was to rename the Williston-Elko High School auditorium for Linda Alsept, a beloved science and theater teacher who died of Covid in 2021.
In order to consider this request, the board would have to suspend Policy FF, which governs the naming of facilities, due to the request not meeting the length of time someone has to be deceased before a request can be made. The policy requires three years.
“Policy allows the board to suspend policies in case of emergency,” said superintendent David Corder. The board suspended the policy, with Orr and Faust voting no.
“This policy was created just a few months ago. What was the point in creating it if we are just going to suspend it. This is the first time I’ve been in a school where they said rules can be broken,” said Orr.
Ferlecia Cuthbertson, a member of the district’s naming committee and a former student of Alsept’s, said Alsept returned to Williston-Elko High School to teach during the pandemic and got sick.
“She took science to a new level. She had a passion for giving her all. She sacrificed her life for education, science and drama in Williston. Her life’s work still exists in the community,” said Cuthbertson.
Mary Ann Walkup, a friend of Alsept’s, said Alsept started Williston’s theatre department. Walkup said so many students were impacted by Alsept’s theatre program throughout more than 20 years, including her. own two kids and current theatre teacher David Edwards.
“So many kids went into careers in broadcasting, theater and public speaking because Linda Alsept gave them that opportunity. To see those students shine was just amazing. Many have said it doesn’t matter the name on it because it is forever her auditorium,” said Walkup.
Board chair Ethel Faust said she was told a request was made to rename the auditorium for Daisy Robinson, another beloved teacher. However, Corder said the request for Alsept was the only one he received in writing by the deadline, as required per policy.
“I got a call from gentleman about two weeks ago about Mrs. Robinson. I never got anything in writing,” said Corder.
He said he is concerned that someone called the board chair instead of him, since his information was listed in all newspaper and social media ads for the renaming request.
“We put this committee together so we’d have a unified way of doing it,” said Corder of the renaming
committee. “We went through the procedure. There’s not much more I can do. I’m getting frustrated about getting questioned over the process. I followed the process.”
While Robinson was also a great teacher, Cuthbertson said the request for Alsept is the only one that met the verification process. She also said there’s a monument outside the school in Robinson’s honor that was placed by the NAACP.
Board member Catrena Hughes Parker suggested a dual naming for Alsept and Robinson, despite not knowing either of the educators.
Board member Teresa Hughes agreed with Parker’s suggestion “since both of those ladies touched lot of students’ lives.”
"Mrs. Robinson was a great teacher, and I had her. She didn’t impact theatre. Something does need to be named after Mrs. Robinson but not this,” said board member Ken Beatty.
Beatty made an initial motion to approve the renaming request for Alsept, which was seconded by board member Tim Scott.
However, Parker offered a motion to rename the auditorium for Alsept and Robinson.
In the end, no motion was approved, so there will be no renaming at this time.
