U.S. mothers today more likely to die from pregnancy than their own moms A4 THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019 | Serving South Carolina since October 15, 1894 75 cents What is a charter school, state Recently denied charter public charter school district? BY BRUCE MILLS rizing entity for new pub- [email protected] lic charter schools. Cur- rently, the district over- school is filing appeal According to South Car- sees 34 public charter olina state law, charter schools serving almost schools offer alternative 20,000 students across the Upstate retired educator’s school concept had 210 pre-registered educational opportunities state and is the state’s separate from traditional largest charter school au- BY BRUCE MILLS tute of Sumter, firm sent a letter of representa- public schools. thorizer, according to its [email protected] spoke to The Sum- tion to the board chairman of They are formed by website. ter Item last week the state public charter school corporations operating Charter schools are A lifelong, state-recognized and earlier this district, Laban Chappell, detail- under a sponsorship — publicly funded but inde- public educator who was taking week on his denied ing Burgess’ side in the case. or authorization — of ei- pendently governed, and steps toward starting a public charter application His letter states the district ther a local school dis- they are exempt from charter school in Sumter Coun- BURGESS by the South Caro- didn’t afford Burgess’ charter a trict, the South Carolina some state regulations. ty says he will file an appeal in lina Public Charter public hearing and that it failed Public Charter School Most charter schools in state court later this week School District to provide reasonable notice to District or an indepen- the state are required to against the state Public Charter Board of Trustees from April the public as stated by the dis- dent institution of higher admit students from any- School District for violating due 16. trict’s attorney, Erik Norton, in education. where in their sponsor process in not granting him a Last week, Burgess retained his own correspondence to Bur- The state General As- district using a lottery ad- public hearing. legal representation from the gess on April 22. sembly created the SCPC- missions process. Gary Burgess, chairman of law office of Johnny E. Watson SD, a statewide school dis- BRAG Literacy STRrEAM Insti- of Columbia. On May 1, the SEE CHARTER, PAGE A3 trict, in 2006 as an autho- SEE SCHOOLS, PAGE A6 Tassels turned: USC Sumter graduates 99 students 52-year-old with cerebral palsy gets bachelor’s degree after 21 years BY KAYLA ROBINS [email protected] he stood Wednesday as a testimony of perseverance, PHOTOS BY KAYLA ROBINS / THE SUMTER ITEM Stassel to her left, 21 years in the making. It was not easy to get to the mo- ment on May 8 at Patriot Hall when the name “Robin Sherman” was called during USC Sumter’s gradua- tion ceremony. Not much about Sher- man is typical. She walked across the stage to receive her bachelor’s degree from sitting on the stage instead of in the audience with the rest of the 99 graduates so she could use her walk- er. It took her as many years to gradu- PHOTOS BY KAYLA ROBINS / THE ate as many, if not most, of her fel- SUMTER ITEM low Class of 2019 have been alive. She Patriot Hall hosted USC Sumter’s gradua- is 52, has cerebral palsy and, while tion ceremony Wednesday, a moment that her words come out slowly, they de- saw 99 students turn their tassels to the left liver a quick sense of humor. to mark their commencement with either “You can use my age because as I associate or bachelor’s degrees. USC Presi- say, not using it won’t make me dent Harris Pastides gave the keynote ad- younger,” she said Wednesday after dress. After becoming the university’s 28th the ceremony and as students, fami- president, he announced last fall he would lies and faculty dispersed from a free retire at the end of this school year. Also lunch in the USC Sumter Nettles Building gym put on by the college’s alumni association. CP is a group of disorders that af- fect a person’s movements, balance and posture and is the most common motor disability in childhood, accord- ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms vary from person to person, but CP always comes with some form of abnormal or damaged brain development that can range from walking a little awk- wardly to needing equipment to walk MICAH GREEN / THE SUMTER ITEM or not being able to walk at all. Robin Sherman, above, is seen after her graduation from University of South Sherman has let neither her CP or Carolina Sumter on Wednesday. Patriot Hall hosted USC Sumter’s graduation what others thought she should be ceremony Wednesday, a moment that saw 99 students turn their tassels to limited to because of it hold her the left to mark their commencement with either associate or bachelor’s de- back. grees. USC President Harris Pastides gave the keynote address. After becom- “There were so many people out ing the university’s 28th president, he announced last fall he would retire at there thinking we have to stay home the end of this school year. Also during the ceremony, Sumter High School senior Samara Castleberry was awarded the President’s Scholarship, and SEE ROBIN, PAGE A6 other academic achievement awards were also handed out. VISIT US ONLINE AT CONTACT US DEATHS, B3 WEATHER, A8 INSIDE Information: 774-1200 Eugene Fredrick Finkbeiner SUNNY AND WARM 2 SECTIONS, 14 PAGES the .com Advertising: 774-1246 Dorothy Campbell P. Howard VOL. 124, NO. 143 Classifieds: 774-1200 Mary Abrams Pleasant with periods of Delivery: 774-1258 James Pressley sun; mainly clear tonight Classifieds B6 Sports B1 News and Sports: 774-1226 Thomas S. Cook HIGH 84, LOW 64 Comics B4 Television B5 Mary Gilbert Opinion A7 Rosa Hickmon Samuel Smalls Jr. Be the Favorite Child this Mother’s Day Anniversary Diamond Earrings Seiko Ladies’ Rings & Crosses Watches 25%Off 25%Off 30%Off 41 E. Wesmark Blvd. • 803-778-1031 Nice Selection of Sterling Silver Items! A2 | THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019 THE SUMTER ITEM Call: (803) 774-1226 | E-mail: [email protected] Spend Mother’s Day afternoon with SCCB Although “Lady of Spain” may be Wide variety of music famous as an accordion piece — the late Myron Floren of “Lawrence Welk Show” fame played it frequently — it closes band’s season was originally an orchestral song. Lyr- ics include “Lady of Spain, I adore BY IVY MOORE you, Right from the night I first saw Special to The Sumter Item you,” as sung by Eddie Fisher and Paul Anka, among others. The Sumter Community Concert Mitchum said “Italian Holiday” is a Band will close its 2018-19 season on “festive piece” comprising a medley of Mother’s Day with an afternoon con- familiar Italian songs and arias, and cert featuring a wide variety of music. “Crooner’s Serenade” brings back Much of the music will be familiar, al- tunes sung most recently by Michael though audience members may not Buble. SCCB will play “Moondance,” have heard it in years. The 3 p.m. Sun- “I’ve Got You Under My Skin” and day concert at Patriot Hall will open PHOTO PROVIDED “Save the Last Dance for Me.” with the band’s traditional playing of The Sumter Community Concert Band will present its final performance of the 2018-19 Sunday’s concert also includes “Star-Spangled Banner.” season at 3 p.m. Sunday at Patriot Hall. A reception hosted by the Sumter County Gal- “Variations on Scarborough Fair” by Director James H. “Jimmy” Mills lery of Art will follow immediately after the concert. Admission is free. Calvin Custer and Hoagy Carmi- has selected a program that highlights chael’s still popular classic “Stardust.” all sections of the band. He will intro- The Sumter Community Concert duce the selections and featured musi- by the SCCB’s Emmett Anglin, who cals, said Rick Mitchum, trumpet play- Band will present its final concert of cians from the stage. The concert will also plays trumpet and a variety of er and band representative. Included the season at 3 p.m. Sunday at Patriot be followed by a reception at the Sum- other instruments with the band. The in the piece will be tunes from “The Hall, 135 Haynsworth St., in the Sum- ter County Gallery of Art, which is waltz is featured in Stanley Kubrick’s Producers,” “Spamalot, “Wicked” and ter County Cultural Center. A drop-in adjacent to Patriot Hall. final film, 1999’s “Eyes Wide Shut.” “The Lion King,” as well as the theme for audience and band members will The blues, with deep roots in Ameri- The SCCB will salute the U.S. mili- from “Avenue Q,” which opens May 23 be hosted by the Sumter County Gal- can history, will be represented by tary with “Armed Forces — The Pride at Sumter Little Theatre. lery of Art, also in the center. Admis- “Beale Street Blues,” composed by of America.” All branches of the U.S. “Instant Concert” by Harold Walters sion is free to both. W.C. Handy, known as the Father of armed forces will be represented by is a tour de force reminiscent of Band rehearsals will resume at 7 the Blues. The piece is one of Handy’s their official themes, as well as the “Hooked on Classics,” but which pre- p.m.