A respected former School District 5 Superintendent once stunned our community by describing the atmosphere created by some disgruntled citizens as a witch hunt.
He was right.
The recent misleading letter by Don Carlson indicates the witch hunt continues.
Carlson claims D5 “understate(s) revenue…and overstate(s) cost.” Allegations of cooking the books are serious and suggest unlawful activity.
We have never seen a criminal investigation based on his allegations, so perhaps he’s just stating an opinion. Everyone is entitled to one; Carlson just has a big one.
He explains his big opinion by claiming D5 wants to build “new, unjustified schools.” But, he does not explain why. Think about it. Why build unjustified schools?
Some witch hunt leaders have suggested D5 is in cahoots with local developers to help them build new housing developments. Hogwash.
Carlson also claims D5 cooks the books so they can hide a property purchase. He also claims that “after their purchase, they found out schools can’t be built on dead-end roads.”
More hogwash. There he goes again; writing about things he doesn’t seem to understand.
The property in question does have an address on a dead end road, but it also fronts on Mt. Vernon Church Road. Further, the property was approved as a potential school site by the SC Department of Education after consulting the SC Department of Transportation.
This witch hunt has been going on for more than 20 years, and its leaders are still shouting up their chimneys with bogus allegations and distorted information.
The fact is D5 continues to be well managed by responsible and fiscally conservative leaders, and D5 schools continue to be among the very best; in spite of the witch hunt.
Paul DuPre
D5 Parent and Taxpayer
