YORK COUNTY, S.C. — Parents and state lawmakers are calling on South Carolina’s governor to launch an investigation into a York County charter school after a board member was accused of removing all of the school’s money from its bank account.
The situation unfolded at Ascent Classical Academy of Fort Mill, where parents say they were left wondering whether the school would even reopen after spring break.
Parent Wendy Cottrell said concerns about resources and staffing were part of the reason she withdrew her three children last year.
“100%. They didn’t have what they needed. The teachers were overworked,” Cottrell expressed.
She also said staff members did their best but lacked support: “They did the best they could with what they had, but they weren’t given the tools they needed to succeed.”
Cottrell said she believed at the time that the school was already facing financial challenges.
This week, she learned about a post on the school’s website that confirmed those fears.
According to a letter from Ascent Classical Academies, the management company contracted to oversee the school’s finances, the issue began on April 2.
The letter states that “a member of the governing board... removed all funds from the school’s bank accounts without board approval. This action eliminated the school’s operating capital and made it impossible for ACA to meet essential obligations” such as payroll.
The revelation prompted immediate action from state lawmakers.
South Carolina State Representative David Martin said the situation raises serious questions about oversight.
“And so, given a school of two point seven million dollars in taxpayer funds from the state of South Carolina, there needs to be accountability,” Martin said. “And there needs to be transparency on where that money went and what happened. Where was the breakdown and where was the oversight?”
Martin and Representative Shannon Erickson drafted a letter to Governor Henry McMaster, asking him to “direct the Inspector General to work with the South Carolina Department of Education... to determine if financial mismanagement, misappropriation of public funds, OR failure of oversight” occurred.
Parents like Cottrell told Channel 9 that they want answers and accountability.
“I hope that they see it through, and I hope the people who have done wrong and hurt all these families and all these kids are held accountable for their actions,” Cottrell said.
The school’s management company says it has terminated its service provider agreement following the removal of the funds.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for the Charter Institute at Erskine, which is taking over management of the school at the end of the year, released a statement saying:
“The school’s elected Board treasurer protected future unauthorized withdrawals of taxpayer funds by the school’s former vendor(management company) by moving the assets into the custody of the Institute, which will serve as the lawful custodian of assets for the time being.”
A meeting is expected to be scheduled to discuss next steps.
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