GREAT FALLS - Fairfield County school board members and members of the school district administration met with parents of Mitford students this past week to discuss school attendance options for the coming year.

Fore several decades, under a “gentleman’s agreement” between the two counties, Fairfield County students in the Mitford area attended the Chester County schools. Fairfield County school district paid Chester County for those students to attend the Chester County schools, because the Great Falls area schools were closer to the students’ homes.

That agreement between the two county school districts was dissolved this past year, and Fairfield County prepared to accept new students into the school system from the Mitford area.

The informational meeting this past Thursday night was to let the Mitford parents know what the state law was concerning attending other school districts, and to introduce the Fairfield County schools and their programs to parents of students in the attendance area.

Acting superintendent Marie Milam addressed the audience, saying that the discussing of school attendance areas “is an unpopular part of conducting school business.

“Of primary concern is disrupting the routine for students and parents of Fairfield County who have been attending school outside of the county. It is one subject we understand that is guaranteed to draw criticism from those, who sometimes, with good reason, are reluctant to change. We understand that the Mitford/Great Falls community is a strong one, so we are here tonight to review the S.C. Codes of Laws, governing all school districts in the state, and what those laws have to say about attendance in adjacent counties,” she said.

Milam then reviewed the relevant portions of South Carolina Code of Laws governing school attendance areas.

Briefly, the law states that if students in one county live closer to a school in adjacent county, they may apply to the school district of their county of residence for release from that district. The application must be made to the school board of the county of residence.

“The Fairfield County School District would love to have the Mitford students attend our schools,” said Milam.

“If you choose to attend Chester County schools, the law requires that a student release form to attend an out-of-district school be sent to the school board of trustees in the county where the student resides. The student will then be officially released to attend a neighboring school district with closer schools.”

She confirmed that the Fairfield County School Board of trustees “intends to release all who wish to attend Chester County Schools.”

Regarding the agreement between the Fairfield and Chester county school districts, Milam pointed out, “no county in the state of South Carolina pays tuition for its students to attend an adjoining district.

“We’re here tonight to present you with attendance options for fulfilling what is required by the law of the state of South Carolina.

“We would love to have you attend Fairfield County schools,” she said.

“If you do decide to come to our schools, be assured that we will take all necessary steps to ensure a smooth transition for you and for your (students). Special care will be given to help your students through the changes they experience.”

The Fairfield County schools students in the Mitford attendance area would attend are Fairfield Elementary, Geiger Elementary, Fairfield Magnet School, Fairfield Middle School and Fairfield Central High School.

Parents who still wish their students to attend Chester County schools will have to file the student release form with the school district and have the release voted on by the Fairfield County School Board every school year.

“We want you to come to Fairfield; we invite you with open arms to come to Fairfield. You are welcome, but we are required to follow South Carolina law, and that is what we intend to do,” Milam said.

Questions about the timing of the decision to enforce the state law at this time lead the comments from the audience.

Milam responded that “it is not our intention to do anything other than follow the law. Maybe the timing isn’t what you would like it to be, but we do have to follow the law, and we are trying to abide by the laws of South Carolina.”

That did not satisfy one member of the audience.

“We all know about the budget crunches across the nation, This is all about budget. I know every one of these Mitford kids here, and they are not a number to me. We are not trying to fill your coffers with our kids. They came Red Devils…and they’re going to leave Red Devils. We’ve been good neighbors to you guys as long as we’ve had this agreement, and now with the budget cuts, you want to come in and fill your coffers with our kids. Never.”

Another citizen asked how long the law has been in effect. Milam responded that it had been on the books since 1925.

“Why are you now requiring us to do this? People have been going to Great Falls for 50 and 60 years, so basically, what you’re saying is we’ve been breaking the law for 50 or 60 years? Why have you elected to overlook the law all this time? And now, all of a sudden, when the economy’s bad and school districts are looking for money all over the place…the Chester County school district even talked about closing our school earlier this year. Our kids have been through enough as far as school districts go this year.”

Milam repeated that Fairfield County was not saying that the students must attend Fairfield County schools, but they were asking for the parents to complete the release paperwork and present it to the Fairfield County board as required by the state law.

School board chair Catherine Kennedy provided some historical perspective on the agreement, as well as letting the audience know what the thinking of the board members was on this issue.

“There was a legislative order that was established by Sen. John Martin in 1972. In that legislation, it was worked out that students this close to Chester County would attend Chester County Schools. At the time, Fairfield County was paying $25,000 per year to Chester County for the students in this area.

“To be frank, a lot of the board members were not aware that the agreement existed until we received a letter from (the Chester County school superintendent) and they were asking for the $25,000. We admit that amount went two years without being paid, but we didn’t know the agreement existed (until then).

“We do not look at this as a budget issue; we went back and looked at is as a law that (is required to be followed). We understand you already have your own family and (traditions) and things that have been going on (at Chester County schools) for a while, but we have decided that we are going to follow the law,” said Kennedy.

“We are okay with your children continuing to go to Chester County, if that’s what you decided to do…the difference is that Fairfield County does not feel like we should be paying for students to leave our county to go to Chester County,” she said.

Parents were concerned about having to pay fees for their students to then attend Chester County, but Dr. Richard Hughes, the Chester County school board chairman, assured parents, “there will be no fees charged to any student from the Mitford area to attend Great Falls schools, other than the standard fee you have been paying for the last few years.”

Fairfield County’s cost of transportation to the Mitford area was a concern addressed by some parents. Milam reminded the audience that Fairfield County already has two school buses running in the area daily during the school year. She estimated that the county will have to add to that number of buses, which is typical when there is an increase in the student population.

The principals and in some cases staff members of the schools that Mitford students coming into Fairfield County would attend then spoke a little about each of their schools, highlighting their special programs and educational opportunities. Board chair Catherine Kennedy then pointed out some of the particular successes of each school as well.

Another member of the audience stated to the Fairfield County people, “I appreciate the fact that you’re trying to follow the law; you do have to understand that the timing of this, when the law hasn’t been followed all this time, it doesn’t look good when it comes at a time when we’re in an economic crisis.”

Some audience members were still suspicious of signing the student release form. One audience member said, “it just seems like when you sign that paper, at some point in time, it’s going to come back and bite you. When you state ‘it’s your choice,’…I want my children to continue to go to Great Falls, It seems like because it’s my choice…somewhere along the line, it’s going to come back and bite me.”

Milam responded to assure the woman, “it is your choice (to send the students to Fairfield County or not) and I don’t say that lightly.”

Some audience members believe that the Great Falls school will eventually be merged, but Dr. Richard Hughes stated, “the Chester County School Board consensus is not to consolidate Lewisville and Great Falls.

We understand what it means to this community, that has been devastated (by the economic situation)…that this community needs their high school. Those children from Mitford have been an integral part of Great falls school system and the schools for 60-something years,” he said.

The student release forms should be mailed or brought by the Fairfield County School District office.