Update to Closed Door Meeting in Ware Shoals

Ware Shoals, SC (TLS). The closed door meeting between Ware Shoals High School principal Jane Blackwell and the local School Board went on for 12 hours on Friday. School Board officials state that despite the lengthy meeting, they still did not finish their business, and thus, a follow-up meeting will be held next Thursday, April 12, at the library adjacent to Ware Shoals High School.

Principal Jane Blackwell had requested the meeting to give her side of the story surrounding charges and allegations against former Ware Shoals High School cheerleader coach Jill Moore. Blackwell has been charged with obstruction in the investigation of Moore.

Initially, Blackwell had requested a public meeting. However, the stipulation given to news organizations in advance of the meeting was that there were to be no TV cameras rolling during the testimony phase of the meeting.

WSPA-TV News Channel 7 in Spartanburg, a local CBS affiliate, decided to defy the request, citing the legal right for cameras to be present during public hearings.

This action brought the meeting to a quick halt. School Board officials, and their attorney, at that point stated that the meeting would go into executive session behind closed doors. Blackwell has requested that no cameras be present at her hearing before the Board, due to the sensitive nature of some of the information concerning under-age high school students implicated in the cheerleader sex scandal at the school.

Once again, it seems to us that Blackwell's request was a reasonable one. WSPA's actions, on the other hand, were lacking in basic common sense.

The unwillingness of WSPA to follow a prudent course in sensitive circumstances led to over 200 attendees at the meeting to be sent home without hearing what Blackwell had to say.

The unwise actions of one news organization insured that the public was kept in the dark about the long-anticipated testimony of Ms. Blackwell.

Ware Shoals School Board officials state that a final decision concerning Blackwell's continued employment will be made at the regular monthly meeting of the Board on April 16. At that time complete transcripts of Blackwell's testimony will be made available to news organizations and the public.