What were the Distict 5 board’s differences with its superintendent? The details are slowly

The details are slowly coming to light, according to the Charleston Post and Courier.

Board member Nikki Gardner was “livid” at Superintendent Christina Melton, the newspaper reported.

Melton had re-imposed a mask requirement the board lifted on the advice of district lawyers.

“I cannot believe that you have directly gone against the will of the board,” Gardner emailed Melton May 6.

“You have no authority to enforce masking,” Gardner said.

She said she would ask the board to censure Melton.

The exchange took place 7 hours after Melton was named the state’s top superintendent for 2022.

Melton’s last day at the 17,500-student district in Irmo and Chapin was June 30.

If Melton acted on her own or on advice from the state Department of Education was not clear

She received a $226,000 settlement to resign.

Emails now being made public show that trustees had begun to lose faith in her months earlier.

On Dec. 8, trustee Ken Loveless said Melton was insubordinate in waiting more than 3 days to answer questions he had about staffing at Chapin High and rumors of a substitute teacher punching a student.

That followed two other sharply worded emails to Melton.

One sought details on candidates for 3 administrative jobs.

The other regarded quar antines for student athletes.

Melton defended herself against accusations that she ignored what was being asked of her

Several times she said she asked for clarification of board policies.

Melton acknowledged overlooking Loveless’s initial text message due to sleep deprivation.

She said she kept her district cell phone locked over the weekend to rest.

When she responded by email, she asked board chairwoman Jan Hammond if trustees wanted daily or weekly reports of “high need” situations.

Loveless was furious, the Post and Courier reported.

“Dr. Melton is telling me she will not answer me. She is looking to you to tell her if she has to answer.”

He wrote to the superintendent and trustees, “I made specific questions known as board vice chair and I expect answers. I view this as insubordination.”

On Dec. 12, Loveless demanded Melton turn over all “notes and interviews” from job finalists in unspecified administrative positions.

That led to some confusion among trustees about which personnel decisions and information Melton was required to provide.

“Your actions are not directed by a single board member but only by a vote of the board in public,” trustee Ed White said.

White resigned his board seat on June 14, 20 minutes before Melton announced she would resign.

Other concerns were Melton’s decision to let Chapin High and Irmo elementary schools keep taking students from outside the attendance zone after parents expressed concerns about capacity and rezoning.