Conway Schools in Turmoil: Parents Push Back as Board Cancels Elections
Conway, S.C. — It’s been a rocky ride for parents and students at PALM Charter High School recently, following Monday’s board meeting where a major decision was made: there will be no board member elections until Spring 2025. Yep, you read that right! Parents are understandably feeling upset over this turn of events, questioning the motives behind the board’s latest moves.
A Clash of Opinions
The board members found themselves in a bit of a gridlock as they debated when elections should actually take place—either in the spring or fall. To make things even trickier, they couldn’t quite agree on who should be eligible for reelection based on when their term began. It seems like a straightforward issue, but for parents, it feels like a battle over more than just election dates. They’re feeling stuck between a desire for continuity and the need for change.
Take Connie Gryb, for example. She attended the meeting with her child and reported that witnessing the chaotic environment was tough. “This was no surprise. They are changing the bylaws to benefit the four for sure,” she stated passionately. Many parents echo her sentiments about the board’s decision-making process, feeling it caters more to the board members than to the students and community.
Confusion Over Bylaws
The board had the opportunity to clarify things for parents and students, along with holding proper elections, but instead, they opted to **change the date** for the elections to Spring 2025. To make matters worse, new bylaws were mistakenly approved, even though some members were allegedly referring to the old ones during the meeting. Confusing hybrid governance, anyone?
Rick Rivers, another frustrated parent, has been trying to get the board to acknowledge how the current governance is operating. “He’s not trying to work. He’s not trying to work with the parents. He’s the reason,” Rivers expressed, referring to the board chairman. To add to the frustration, the chairman didn’t respond to any requests for an interview during the meeting. Talk about leaving parents in the dark!
New Bylaws Raise Eyebrows
The newly minted bylaws suggest that four members can be appointed to the board, while three parent seats will be set for elections in Spring 2025. This has left several parents rightfully questioning the necessity of even having elections if current board members can simply appoint their friends. Gryb said it best when she expressed, “They should be apologizing to these kids, to these parents, the teachers, and everybody else—they won’t do that—they never think that they are wrong.”
Promises Broken?
In a previous meeting back in October, the board had supposedly agreed to hold elections. However, this latest decision has planted seeds of doubt in the minds of parents, who are now fearing that real elections might never happen. “They are going to stay here as long as they can, and you know again, not sure what their agenda is,” conceded Gryb, as other parents nodded in agreement. They can’t help but feel as though their voices are being drowned out in what should be a collaborative school environment.
What Comes Next?
While the Public Charter School Alliance of South Carolina urged the board to hold elections as soon as possible, the decision ultimately lies in the hands of the board members, who seem intent on taking their time. As this story unfolds, one has to wonder how long the patience of parents will last. Will they rally together for change, or will they grudgingly accept the status quo? Only time will tell.
As the dust settles on this contentious meeting, it’s clear that the community is hungry for answers and real change. Parents want transparency, integrity, and a voice in their children’s education. With every meeting that passes, one can only hope that their concerns will finally be heard.
