Judge: Board “did not abuse its discretion”

Judge Maddox’s ruling in the Tamassee-Salem case is now official.  Filed yesterday in the Common Pleas Court, the order by the 10th Circuit jurist found that a school board “clearly has authority to close a school within its district.”  Maddox decided that the court may not interfere with the board’s decision unless it amounts to a clear abuse of its discretion.  The judge’s ruling states:  “The Court is not ruling that the SDOC School Board’s decision to close TSMH was the best decision.  The judge further had this to say about Lynne Martin’s attempt to reverse the decision:  “Although the understands the positions advanced by the Plaintiff, the Court finds that reasonable persons can differ as to whether TSMH should be closed.”  The school district’s motion to dismiss the Martin appeal is granted and the appeal is dismissed with prejudice, meaning Martin may not file a new complaint.