After much deliberation and conversation with faculty, staff, teachers, and taxpayers of the Timmonsville community. We have decided that we can no longer be silent about the alarming actions of the Department of Education and State Superintendent. Timmonsville Educational Center has been under the Department of Education Surveillance for years. Unfortunately, no plan from the Department of Education has worked. November 2015, the Timmonsville Board of Trustees designed a scaffolding plan to get the district back on track. Unfortunately, before putting the plans in action, the state superintendent, Molly Spearman declared a state of emergency on Florence School District Four(without warning). The reasoning behind this decision was because the district had a"high-risk status financially, or for financial mismanagement resulting in a deficit.” The school has been under the State of emergency for two years, and there is no change. So after two years under the leadership of the State Superintendent, the school will become a private school. Without any clear communication, the community was left uninformed about the States contingency plan for the school. The taxpayers of the town have not had a say on whether they would like for the school to be private or public. The system has oppressed us, and no one hears our voice when it comes to making decisions for our town. So today, we stand as a community, and we move that Molly Spearman and the Department of Education dismiss their decision to convert Timmonsville High School from a public school to a private school. We ask for your support by signing this petition, in efforts to bring a voice, not only heard but effective, in our community.