Note to Daniel Island: Be Careful About Joining CCSD

Residents of Daniel Island are mad as hell, and they're not going to take it any more! At least that attitude emanates from the latest discussions over whether the "island community" should vote to become part of Charleston County.

First, new residents discover they're not in Charleston County, even though they're in the City of Charleston. So confusing! Even the local newspaper often forgets that they're in Berkeley County. That means that their students must find a surreptitious avenue into Charleston County's Academic Magnet High School, ride nine miles to Hanahan High School, or pay tuition to attend Bishop England High School, situated on the island where they can ride their bikes to school.

Second, speaking of riding bikes to school, the icing on the cake appeared last spring when, to relieve overcrowding at the Daniel Island School (K-8), the Berkeley County School District announced that it will build a new middle school. In Cainhoy. DI residents must have choked on their morning latte. "No biking to Cainhoy," they shouted. "It's not part of our island dream." Residents want a second school on Daniel Island.

These people need to become acquainted with CCSD Superintendent Nancy McGinley, who's never seen a neighborhood school she didn't want to destroy. Students will be bused in from all points of the compass. Further, though Berkeley County is well advanced in planning and financing a new school to relieve DI crowding, Charleston County would need to add the school to its next go-round of financing, postponing construction for at least five years more. If the idea is to bike to school, forgetaboutit!

Residents also need to review their geography: Daniel Island sits between the "north zone" (North Charleston) with its vacancies in many of its failing schools and the"east zone" (Mt. Pleasant) with its highly overcrowded (think Cario) successful schools. Where will the overflow from Daniel Island go?

From the Daniel Island School (as a reference point) to Hanahan High School measures about 9 miles.
From that point to overcrowded Wando High School is about 12 miles.

From Daniel Island to vacancies-a-plenty North Charleston High School is only 8 miles. Think.

Copycat, Copycat: Now It's Chicago

Bishop England? Academic Magnet? If it works one place, why not another? See

• Threats Close Three Colleges, Four More Schools

Copycat Bomb Threat at Academic Magnet

Allow me to put Tuesday's report about a bomb threat at Academic Magnet in context. I will simply make a few substitutions in the article as it appeared. [See Police at Magnet High After Threat ]

[Substitutions are in italic bold.]

"Extra security officers patrolled Bishop England High School over the weekend and Monday after a bomb threat was discovered.

School officials found writing in a boys' bathroom on Thursday that warned about a potential incident at the Daniel Island school on Monday, said David Held, Bishop England's Principal. Bishop England staff and Berkeley County Police checked the school twice during the weekend, and police monitored it overnight Sunday, he said.

Although the searches turned up nothing suspicious, the school increased security Monday, Held said.

Several police officers were at the school to monitor students as they arrived and watch for any potential problems, Held said.

School Principal David Held did not send a message to parents Monday morning, instead choosing to make an announcement to the students to let them know what was happening.

Officials made an announcement about the threat and assured students they were OK. If officials thought it safe enough for them to be in school, three-fourths of the student body said, they felt safe being there.

Several classes had deadlines for their research papers on Monday, and many teachers and some students speculated that was why the day was targeted."

That was before the Easter break. Rumors spread like wildfire through text messaging. It worked for the 200 or so students who did not attend Bishop England that Monday. Maybe officials at AMHS should investigate a connection.