I read about the filing for local school board elections in Pickens County with some concern. School board trustees are to balance the wants of the school administration with the wants of the public.

In Clemson, Betty Bagley is a former superintendent and is running unopposed. I can’t see how a former administrator who didn’t have to spend any time talking with the people of Pickens County during the campaign will be anything but biased toward doing what the district administration wants.

The same in Easley, where Betty Garrison a former principal is running unopposed. Garrison has praised Judy

Edwards who ignored the public when she voted to close AR Lewis and Holly Springs schools, and just followed the district administration.

Add in Brian Swords, who is an administrator at Tri-County Tech and voted to close the schools too.

Our only hope is Alex Saitta in the Pickens election, who showed he is independent minded by voting against the closings, and has the experience and grit to stand as a counterbalance to Bagley, Garrison and Swords who will rubberstamp district administration plans.

Let’s not forget State Representative Neal Collins of Easley wants to add a 7th seat to the school board, and it will be in his area of Easley. Senator Larry Martin stopped it before, but Senator Martin is no longer there to stop this.

District administrators and the Easley and Clemson crowd are trying to hijack the school board, and this is not good for our county.

Dennis Reinert

Easley