Who Is Related to Whom--Ware Shoals Version

When I wrote several posts ago about knowing who is related to whom and politics in the South, I was contemplating state and local politicians. Little did I realize when I first wrote about the scandal at Ware Shoals High School that it was a microcosm of my point. This time, however, knowing who's who on the local scene (2,300 people in Ware Shoals) seems to have worked against common sense.

When an article appeared recently in the Newsless Courier about the punishment of the guardsmen involved, out of curiosity I did my bit of Googling to find out what had happened to the civilians--that is, the cheerleading coach/guidance department clerk (Moore)and the school's principal (Blackwell). Moore has resigned her position. Blackwell has been arrested and charged with obstruction of justice by the Greenwood County Sheriff's Office and is suspended from her duties as principal until that issue is settled. So far, so good. That's when I found
the Rest of the Story (apologies to Paul Harvey).

1. Accusations regarding the cheerleading coach and misconduct (concerning an entirely different incident) were actually reported to the local police chief LAST SPRING. The gist concerned her relationship with a 16-year-old male student.


2. Presumably Ware Shoals's police chief investigated the accusations, although it's unclear what he might have done. Given the size of Ware Shoals, he may not even be a full-time employee, but chances are that he at least spoke to Blackwell and was given "we'll look into it" and Blackwell was given a denial by Moore.


3. Now, why wouldn't Blackwell continue to pursue the matter and instead rehire Moore for the following school year (this one)? Is she that gullible? Or was it town politics?


4. Believe it or not, Moore's father was a member of the school board, yes, the same one that Blackwell reports to for her livelihood; but--wait, it gets better!


5. Moore's father is also the pastor of the big Baptist church in Ware Shoals and a well-respected member of the community.


6. Now, Moore's father has resigned from the school board at this point, and in all fairness, no reason exists to believe that the poor man knew anything of the whole mess last spring OR that Blackwell might have tried to put a lid on it.


7. Even if the police chief had his suspicions that the accusations were true last spring, if Blackwell stonewalled, what was he to do? Wait to see if anything else happened?


8. It did. And this time the story was too big to be squelched so easily, although apparently Blackwell tried, according to the arrest warrant. So, will this native of Ware Shoals get her job as principal back? Seems unlikely, but--wait,


9. The Ware Shoals School Superintendent is her first cousin.

UPDATE: Sunday, February 18th

1. Jill Moore's mother also works for the school district.
2. The 2006-07 school year was only Blackwell's second as principal--meaning that her coverup of behavior (or inability to ferret out bad behavior) at the end of last year occurred during her first year as a principal.