Facts and myths about SC population trends and schools

Despite the constant effort to demean South Carolina, we are an attractive and growing state.

New York and Ohio each lost two US House seats in 2010. Illinois, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts lost a US House seat. South Carolina added one. 

States like stagnant California are flooded illegal immigrants and have taxed their contributing residents into flight. California now has one-third of all US welfare recipients, according to newgeography.”

California “has the nation's highest poverty rate. About 23.5 percent of California's population is poor, while only 15.8 percent of the nation's population is poor. No other state is above 20 percent.”

Maybe we should change the refrain to "Thank goodness for California" and let Mississippi off the hook.

Parents are moving their children out of California at an alarming rate. That is not true in South Carolina.

For political reasons, public education is bashed in South Carolina. And in some pockets, cycles of poor political representation lead to inferior schools. The “Corridor of Shame” is often lamented as the representation of our schools.

But the “Corridor of Shame” is actually the face of Democrat policies, where the same leaders are elected over and over. Democrats, exclusively, represent the “Corridor of Shame” school districts. They have done a poor job. Democrat politicians get fatter, while the children, and the poor suffer in cycles.

Lexington School District One is in a Conservative, solidly Republican County. The district has some of the highest-achieving students in the country and South Carolina's growth can be seen in its schools.

Lexington School District One builds a new school every year and is hiring 25 teachers this year.

Education industry insiders and administrators often take the credit, but it is the residents of Lexington County and classroom teachers who breed success for our schools.

Lexington One is successful because of the parents and their involvement in their child's

education. Teachers are the other most-important connection to achievement.

Administrators in Lexington One, have little to do with the achievement of the students in Lexington One. But that is where credit is given. They are trying to tax you more for it, too. 

Since Lexington One is close to Democrat-controlled, and low-achieving Richland One, parents flock to Lexington One. Lexington One administrators take the pats, but flight from the growing negative statistics in the City of Columbia helps fuel growth in Lexington.

Crime, taxes and the lack of accountability in Columbia are rendering it unfit for many.

Lexington School District Two is also seeing growth, with 11 news teachers this year.
Lexington Two is an example of a school district that has done a lot, but the district does not hit up taxpayers constantly, even though it is taking on many English-as-a-second-language students. Lexington Two is efficient and frugal compared to Lexington One. It just does not have the social and economic level of refugee enrolling.

As it is, Lexington County is seen as a beacon because it is compared to poorly governed Columbia.

Lexington County has five school districts. Three districts have superintendents announcing, or near, retirement. Lexington County, as it looks to the future,  needs to make a conscious effort against higher taxes and irresponsible government, or it too could slouch toward inferiority. We do not need another Corridor of Shame.