Jasper County school officials say critic threatened them in social media post
A social media post by an outspoken critic of the Jasper County School District has prompted some officials to file police reports, a request for a restraining order, and a cease-and-desist letter.
The post was made by Bridgette Jones of Ridgeland, who says she recently organized the groups Jasper County United Association (JCUA) and Jasper County Parent Advisory Council. Jones has led meetings of more than 100 parents and community members to discuss issues including an ongoing bus driver shortage.
JCUA has started a petition to have superintendent Rechel Anderson removed from her position. As of Friday morning, it had 704 signatures.
School board chair Carolyn Bolden filed a report April 5 with the Jasper County Sheriff's Office about a live video that Jones posted on Facebook. The report was filed under “harassment/threats.”
"Bolden was advised that on April 5, Jones conducted a live stream video to Facebook live where she made threats against multiple board members," the report said. "Bolden informed the officer she was very concerned with the content and context of the video due to multiple threats there were heard throughout the video."
The report said Jones made “multiple statements about coming after Ms. Bolden if she went after her mother, who is currently a member of the school board as well, or told her mother things that Ms. Jones said which were not true.” The video has been removed from Jones' personal Facebook page.
Bolden told an officer that she and Jones previously had a heated exchange at a meeting, but things remained civil.
No charges were filed, but Bolden said she did file a request for a restraining order against Jones. The request states that "on April 5, Jones made a live appearance on Facebook where she threatened and promised to kill me (Carolyn Bolden) and fight me whenever she saw me."
"I am afraid that if Jones comes near me that I will have to defend myself and I need her to not come near me or any member of my family," Bolden's statement said. "She's a dangerous person according to her own statement."
Jones said Bolden’s statement did not accurately represent her comments, adding, "I did not directly say I would kill her or beat her up."
Jones said she found it “laughable” when she received the paperwork about the restraining order request. She said she and Bolden had recently been at the same meeting and had no serious problems.
"This is unnecessary time spent and an unnecessary use of taxpayer money," Jones said.
The video mentioned in the police report was shown at a May 4 hearing in Jasper County Magistrate Court, Jones confirmed. Bolden’s request was dismissed, Jones said, because the judge said there had been no physical contact between them.
"I'm still going live and she made it known she's a public official," Jones said. "They are public officials and they all should have thick skin to deal with the public."
Bolden said the judge informed her that a restraining order would require two incidents in which she was stalked and harassed, but she presented only one in court.
"The judge explained this was a very grave and serious threat Jones put out in the video and I could pursue an arrest warrant through the sheriff's office concerning threatening a public official," she said. "I just want peace. I am not pursuing it right now, but if she makes a second threat against me, I will definitely take her to court."
Superintendent files report
The superintendent filed a report April 6 with the Jasper County Sheriff's Office about Jones’ video. The report said an officer watched the 24-minute video in which Jones “carried on about the school board and Anderson.”
"The officer observed Jones say several times that if anyone talked about her or her family, they could get it on site and they have never seen the wrath of her," the report said.
Anderson said in the report she felt the statements were threatening toward her and several board members.
Jasper County Sheriff Donald Hipp was listed in the report, which said he met with several individuals about the situation — including county attorney David Tedder and the 14th Judicial Circuit Solicitor's Office — because Anderson is a public official.
Anderson has legal representation from Columbia-based Cromer Babb Porter & Hicks, which sent Jones a letter April 18 stating that if she "did not cease and desist spreading the false and defamatory statements, the law firm would advise Anderson to move forward with filing the appropriate civil and criminal actions."
In the letter, the attorneys said Anderson was aware that Jones had been making statements on public social media platforms and in the community that were demeaning, inappropriate and defamatory.
"These ongoing statements by you have harmed Dr. Anderson's reputation and have put Dr. Anderson in fear for her personal safety," the letter said. "Based on the information provided to me, I believe Dr. Anderson has a sustainable claim for defamation and various other claims as a result of the harm that you have caused her."
Anderson said Jones was one of several people who received similar letters from her attorneys, including Kimberly Morgan, a parent in the district. Morgan confirmed she received a letter from Anderson's attorneys by email.
"I have freedom of speech, and if I have to, I will go all the way to the jailhouse with my freedom of speech," Morgan said. "There is no sense in a leader telling parents they cannot speak out. We, the parents, are not happy with transportation, the modified school calendar, or the deconsolidation of the schools."
Morgan said she had not even spoken to the superintendent and it was not right that she received the letter.
"How does she fear for her public safety when I have not been around her and she is nowhere, not even at meetings?" she said. "Parents have the right to know what is happening in the district and a lot of them did not know what was going on. I don't see why me running my mouth about the truth is public safety."
Anderson said last month she also was planning to send cease-and-desist letters to board members Priscilla Fraser, who is Jones’ mother, and Shalonda Toomer. Anderson declined further comment, stating that it is a legal matter.
Fraser and Toomer said they had not received cease-and-desist letters from Anderson or her attorney as of May 3. Anderson’s attorneys did not respond to a request for comment.
Two other school board members filed incident reports concerning Jones’ Facebook posts.
Priscilla Green filed a report April 7 with the Jasper County Sheriff's Office. She said Jones made Facebook videos March 29 and April 5 in which she spoke about the board in an ill manner.
Green told police Jones had escalated and was making threats toward her. She said Jones' statements included, “come and get some, I will bring the coroner by to pick you up, and people will get hurt.”
Green said she did not wish to press charges and just wanted the incident to be documented. She said she was becoming concerned with the ways Jones continued to press the issues and make the statements she was making.
Tedd Moyd filed a report with the Hardeeville Police Department. Officers met with him April 8 about what he said were online threats, according to the report.
When an officer asked Moyd about the threats, according to the report, he said Jones stated in a Facebook video that if “changes happen to the school board, they better get body bags ready.”
Moyd said he believed that was a threat to him and other board members. Officers said a report would be made to document the incident.
Driver shortage
After the most recent JCUA meeting and many letters, phone calls and emails from concerned parents and others, South Carolina Department of Education officials visited the district April 28.
Department spokesperson Ryan Brown said the officials visited to conduct a student ridership count. The department also was looking into services that must be provided to students with disabilities amid the transportation issues.
The school district provided an update on the driver shortage May 3.
"Effective today, Tuesday, May 3, 2022, we have added an additional driver," the district said in a statement. "As a result, students riding specialized transportation will resume riding in Hardeeville (and Ridgeland)."
The district said parents were notified May 2 that the bus would resume morning and afternoon routes.
"In addition, we are near completion of finalizing three (3) additional drivers to assist with transporting our students," the district said. "An additional update will be provided."
Jones said the next JCUA meeting will be May 12 at 6:30 p.m. at Agape Family Life Center in Hardeeville. The group is asking parents, students, teachers and community members to fill out an online survey that will be sent to the S.C. Ethics Commission, Jones said.