SUMTER, S.C. — A South Carolina judge has thrown out a deal made by the Sumter County School board to end the former superintendent's employment with the district early, saying the district violated state open records laws.
Circuit Court Judge R. Kirk Griffin issued his ruling Friday afternoon in response to a lawsuit filed by a group called the Sumter County Concerned Clergy, saying the decision made by the district regarding Penelope Martin-Knox was "invalid."
The clergy group had raised issues with the school board's decision made at a meeting on February 28 involving Martin-Knox. Knox had been the district's superintendent for three years, but in December of 2021, she announced she would not seek a contract extension with the school system. In February, she got a new job at a school district in Missouri but hadn't left to take it yet.
But on Feb. 28th, the board voted 5-4 to allow the superintendent to use all of her leave time and to pay the amount left on her contract, a deal that essentially ended her employment with the district before it was set to end in June.
The clergy, however, said the public wasn't given notice that the board would be talking about such a decision and that the meeting was held at a different location than originally stated in a local paper.
Judge Griffin agreed, saying the state violated what's known as the Freedom of Information Act, which--among other things--governs how public bodies hold meetings. Griffin also said the district's agenda item about what they were discussing was "vague," and said even some board members seemed not to know this would be voted on.
The judge tossed out all parts of the deal with Martin-Knox, meaning the district would have to reach some new sort of arrangement at some point in the future.
Attorney David Duff, who represents the district, said in a statement, "I have not spoken to the board (Sumter school District school board) but I feel certain the board will agree and comply with the judge's ruling."