Observer Election 2024: Bill Thompson III, School Dist. 5 At Large
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Bill Thompson is a candidate for the Anderson School District Five At-Large seat.
A retired nuclear power reactor operator and full-time dad, Thompson earned an Associate of Science Degree in Nuclear Engineering Technology from Augusta Technical College.
Thompson includes among his community activities work with the Hunger For Hope Project and as A5 Citizen Expert. He has attended almost all school board meetings for the past two years and has spent time on in-person visits to his child’s classroom for observation.
Here are his answers to the Anderson Observer’s questions:
1. What is the most important responsibility of public schools?
The most important responsibility of public schools is to provide excellent education in order to produce students who are college or career ready so that they may have the best chance at achieving the American Dream which is to be self-sufficient, prosperous, and free.
2. What are the three most important duties of a public-school board member?
The three most important duties of a school board member are (1) to abide by their oath of office which is to uphold the Constitution of the United States of America, (2) ensure schools and administrators operate schools in compliance with board policy and state law, and (3) ensure public monies are spent responsibly while maintaining a whole-health approach to the community to include not overburdening the taxpayers and creating more poverty than already exists.
3. How is your combination of education and experience relevant to serving the duties identified in question one?
My combination of education as a 4.0 GPA student within a field of complex science, coupled with my experience in the workforce and being the son of a teacher, make me the best candidate for the Anderson Five School Board. My 4.0 GPA gives me the unique opportunity to motivate students to become their best as well as give the community the absolute best candidate possible who excels at what they do.
4. Is there a particular issue that motivates you to run for a seat on the board of education?
There are three issues that motivate me to work inside government at this time. 1) It is my assessment that there exists a chilled work environment in Anderson Five schools which can be defined as an environment where teachers do not feel safe raising concerns out of fear of retaliation/retribution. I intend to transform the district into a speak up culture. 2) It is my assessment that the board/superintendent relationship needs to be recalibrated and that greater oversight of the administration from the board is necessary to restore propriety and make school operation a more efficient and effective process. 3) Taxpayer health is a major concern. Families are struggling to buy groceries and students and teachers are suffering under the weight of high prices, along with the rest of the community. Poverty rates are rising and so is taxation and spending which is unsustainable. Public trust needs to be reestablished and maintained for the well-being of our schools and our community as a whole. I’m committed to no new taxes in my first four years.
5. Please explain your understanding of how school board millage works and what you see as the top priorities for using this money.
School board millage is levied on property such as cars and real property but not on primary residences. School boards in S.C. currently are able to raise millage to a certain extent without a ballot measure/bond referendum and use these monies without the limitations like exist on the one percent sales tax revenues.
We need to get the money to the classrooms where the education happens. We have teachers spending their own money to fill their classrooms with supplies and we’re asking poor families for a bunch of materials fees, technology fees and school supplies while we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on non-critical positions like “Community Engagement Liaison” and “Chief Communication Officer”. The board chairman is supposed to be the “Chief Communication Officer” and speak for the district, but they hide behind someone they can pay to do it for them so there’s no accountability come election time.
When I was growing up, back when journalism existed, someone would come up to a mayor or school board chairman and ask them questions live on the 6 o’clock news. Nowadays, there is no news. Especially not in Anderson, SC.
6. Given all the issues that arise, how can the board stay focused on student achievement?
Board members must be honest about student performance metrics. These metrics are valuable indicators but they don’t provide information on school environment, leadership, or other variables that affect student learning. I would like to hear the district’s instructional improvement plan to see how the district is measuring success at each school. District and board leadership should be focused on teaching and learning, not economic development and downtown development.
7. How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden?
It’s inappropriate to raise taxes in times of economic hardship like we’re in right now. Families with children, those on fixed incomes and others are struggling to buy groceries while mounds of money is being spent by government entities at all levels and without much slowing down. Public trust should be reestablished and maintained via good faith efforts to reign in spending so that in the event millage increases become absolutely unavoidable and/or bond referendums are needed, the public will trust the board enough to tax and spend appropriately.
8. What are your thoughts on the current and the proposed budget for your school district?
The proposed budget is not out yet but the current budget is and is increasing year over year even though student enrollment in A5 is falling. In the past 5 years, according to screportcards.com, enrollment in A5 has DECREASED by 500 students. In that same time frame, the annual operating budget has swelled from $114 million to $153 million.
9. As a board member, where would you look to make budget cuts?
As a board member, I’d like to look at upper-level administration raises and positions like “Community Engagement Liaison”. We can’t afford this kind of boondoggle. We need to get the money into the classrooms and otherwise leave it in the pockets of the taxpayers who also happen to be moms, dads, guardians, students and teachers.
10. Are there any areas you would not consider cutting?
I have no desire to cut teacher pay, bonuses or compensation.
11. How would you determine your budget priorities?
Budget priorities are items that directly contribute to students and the classrooms.
12. What changes should be made on the state and local level regarding public education?
Changes that should be made on the local level here in A5 are a recalibration of school board/superintendent relationships. The board is the authority not the superintendent. The board is accountable to the public and ultimately the people and the voters are the boss. As far as the state level, the Anderson community needs to realize that state level organizations like the SC School Board Association are entities that are influencing our local boards via trips, conferences, fancy dinners and feelings of importance. When you look at a policy and wonder how/why/where it comes from, remember there’s a bigger game going on that you can’t see until you start looking harder. I’ve been watching for a while now.
13. Do you favor renewing the penny sales tax for schools when the current law expires?
It should not be referred to as a “penny tax” but rather a one percent sales tax. “Penny tax” is misleading to the public and should not be used. We should not tie our hands with sales tax revenues by stipulating that they can’t be used for anything but building and grounds or capital projects or what have you. When the tax goes up for renewal in 5 years or so, we should untie our own hands. The 1 percent school sales tax is fine with me if it’s fine with the voters who will ultimately decide. With the new transportation tax proposed by the county coming up this general election, we’ll be at 10 percent sales tax in the city limits. That is 6 percent to the state, 2 percent to the city, 1 percent to the schools and 1 percent transportation tax if it passes. I’d like to see the city drop theirs down to 1 percent from 2 percent to alleviate the burden on taxpayers.
14. How important are athletics and extra-curricular activities and should the school board support such endeavors for students?
Arts and athletics are wonderful but academics need more attention.
15. What is your understanding of separation of church and state when it comes to public schools in Anderson County?
I’m a Christian and I’m not afraid to profess that. Nobody is going to make anybody practice any religion or ideology with which they don’t agree. We will protect the religious liberties of students and as a Christian I will respectfully profess my faith to others despite the consequences.
16. Are you familiar with Moms for Liberty and/or Stop Moms for Liberty groups and how do you view their activities (positively/negatively and why)?
I’m endorsed by Moms for Liberty - Anderson and I’m very proud of that. I have never heard of Stop Moms for Liberty.
17. How would you work to find common ground with other school board members and the superintendent on issues of disagreement?
I will stand for the values and principles that I stand for and will not submit myself to groupthink. I’m unafraid to speak up or stand alone if/when necessary.
18. Could you support a board decision you did not vote in favor of? Why or why not?
If I don’t support something then I don’t support it.
19. What is your opinion of current teachers in the district and what would you do as a board member to support them?
My opinion of current teachers in the district is that the majority are doing a fantastic job. I’m very grateful to teachers and I want to improve working conditions for employees as fast as possible.
20. How can a school board know if its goals are being accomplished and its policies are being implemented?
Oversight is the only way to know if a school board’s policies are being implemented. “Trust but verify.” -Ronald Reagan