Tamassee-Salem to close

Oconee County is headed toward three high schools.  Last night’s vote by the county trustees to close Tamassee-Salem Middle/High School at the end of the current school year was unanimous, though it amounts to a controversial action considering the sentiments of the school community.  Once again, for two and a half hours last night, more than 30 Tamassee-Salem supporters pleaded with the trustees to save their school or, at the least, table the administration’s recommendation for more time to sort out the issues.  News of the recommendation broke a week and a half ago, and Tamassee-Salem supporters say that’s two soon to vote.  Once again last night they asked the trustees to decide that, in the case of their school, that small is better and to keep in mind their school’s legacy, as well as the impact of closing the only school inside the small town of Salem.  But trustees appeared resigned in favor of closing.  As one of them said about the inevitability of a small school’s existence, some class of students will have to be the last class.  As expressed by Chairman Andy Inabinet, it’s the wish of the trustees that in the remaining seven months of the year, Tamassee-Salem can make its last year memorable for its students and that the transition of those students into Walhalla Middle and Walhalla High schools can begin to make the change as seamlessly as possible.  Several Tamassee-Salem parents and students express the fear that they won’t be welcomed by Walhalla, but the two Walhalla principals say that’s not true and give their schools a chance to prove it.