Dr. Ronald Epps came to Columbia from the Midwest with excellent credentials and was rewarded as the highest paid superintendent in SC. He followed three short–term superintendents who had left Richland One with no real real direction other than a bond referendum worth $184 million to build new elementary schools. Epps took charge immediately with the solid support of Vince Ford, chairman of the school board.

Dr. Epps dressed impeccably, spoke eloquently, and appeared to have the situation fully in hand. He soon reorganized the cumbersome district along area/cluster lines. All principals with students going to Dreher, for example, would report to the same area superintendent. In theory, Dreher students would follow a consistent and thoroughly tested path from kindergarten to high school graduation…as would students at each of the other six high schools. It is an acceptable organizational design.

In a popular move, Epps went against his high school principals and athletics directors by removing profitable soft drinks and fast foods from vending machines in schools. Richland One was one of the first districts in the nation to do so.

With the second phase of the huge bond referendum ($381 million) behind him, Epps and the school board moved the construction program to the middle and high school level. And mistakes began to be made.

In a noble effort to save C.A. Johnson High School, Epps used federal money and support from Benedict College, where his wife teaches, to create C.A. Johnson Preparatory Academy. Teachers and administrators who did not agree with creating such grand expectations for project kids soon retired, were transferred, or left the district. Within two years, the federal money dried up and the once proud high school became, once again, the smallest, most neglected high school in the district, albeit with a new name.

When the Dreher community loudly rejected the idea of moving the district’s flagship high school to the suburbs, Epps, with backing from Vince Ford and other school board members, made the mistake of secretly buying up property to expand Dreher’s “footprint.” City Council members E.W. Cromartie and Tameika Isaac Devine along with realtor Charles Gary were paid exorbitant fees to hustle the property acquisition along. During this episode, Epps began to show arrogance toward the white community.

In a series of incidences many considered examples of Epps’ faithful support of his staff, others began to question his judgement. A teacher found guilty of helping students cheat on PACT tests was promoted by Epps and kept on staff. An administrator fired from Fairfield County Schools was hired by Epps despite considerable criticism. Epps overruled an A.C. Flora High School selection committee and appointed his favorite as principal of that school. The new black principal had questionable credentials.

In coffee clatches throughout Columbia, the “racial thing” became the topic of hushed conversation. It was whispered that all three area superintendents were black, all seven high schools except Dreher have black principals, all nine middle schools except Crayton and Hand have black principals, all 29 elementary schools except Rosewood, AC Moore, Satchel Ford, Logan, Pine Grove, Rhame, Caughman Road, Meadowfield, and Brockman have black principals. Only one member of the seven–person board is white.

And Epps’ new hit man, Area Superintendent Jake Sello, started criticizing the white principals for not hiring more black teachers. (The great majority of Richland One’s 24,700 students are black, and the majority of the 1,700 teachers are white. The former is a result of the white flight of the 1970s; the latter is a result of the job market.)

To Epps’ credit, falling test scores leveled off and actually began to improve. As new and renovated schools opened their doors, students, teachers, and parents began to have a new–found pride in their educational institutions. Success was breeding success in Columbia’s predominately black urban school district.

But the undercurrent of criticism of Epps continued. Neighborhood leaders spoke of his arrogance, aloofness, and secrecy. Politicians began to question his durability relative to political payoffs and his racial moves. During the school board elections of 2004, Epps took hits from many challengers. And a number of grievances and court cases began to surface.

During the past month, Epps’s future with Richland One was sealed. A jury ruled Rosewood Principal Ted Wachter had been defamed by Area Superintendent Jake Sello’s racial comments and harassment. Wachter was awarded $150,000 in damages. During this three–year grievance process, Epps had stood solidly behind Sello and spent over $350,000 doing so. Epps himself barely escaped being found guilty of negligent supervision of Sello. And during the trial, Epps admitted not following the SC Department of Education policy on employee evaluations.

The Wachter decision gave credence to the civil rights case making its way in the federal courts that charges Richland One and Epps with reverse discrimination in the hiring of principals. They are being charged with hiring less qualified black principals and paying them more than higher qualified white principals.

Last Tuesday, three new school board members took their seats and Vince Ford stepped down as chairman. The honorable Dr. Jasper Salmond was elected chairman. The handwriting was on the wall.

Last Friday, in a hastily called administrators meeting, Dr. Ronald Epps announced he was leaving Richland One January 31, 2005. It is clear the school board had made a decision, and Epps had heard it. He resigned to take a job with a private foundation and to keep his good reputation intact.