Mother Fights Florence School District Over Repeated Denied Transfer Request

In a clash with the Florence 1 Schools in South Carolina, a concerned mother has been fighting for months over her unsuccessful attempts to transfer her 11-year-old daughter from one school to another. Latisha Evans has claimed that despite her consistent efforts and following proper procedures, her transfer request and subsequent appeals have been continually denied.

Multiple Requests for Transfer Denied

Evans stated that she had requested for her daughter’s transfer from Williams Middle School in North Florence, to Southside Middle School situated within their home jurisdiction in South Florence. Her persistence seems rooted in her concern for her daughter’s safety and logistical issues posed by the current arrangements.

Concerns for Safety and Convenience

According to Evans, she needs to leave her home before 7 AM every day to deliver her daughter to Williams Middle School, which is about 15 minutes away from their South Florence residence. She also expressed worries about the lack of supervisory personnel at the school during her morning drop-offs. Her current employment situation in Lake City has also compelled her to rely on a relative to ensure her child has a ride home from school. Her mother actually has to travel 30 miles from Marion to pick her daughter up every day.

Stumbling Blocks with District Policies

Evans’ attempt for a transfer began in March when she put forth a formal request to the district, providing proofs of her South Florence residency as required, including a mortgage statement, utility bills, and her driver’s license. However, Florence 1 Schools’ stated its inability to approve the request due to district policy guidelines, a response that seems contradictory considering that her 16-year-old son, living in the same house, attends South Florence High School.

Calls for Urgent Resolution

Not ready to back down, Evans has made an appeal to the South Carolina Department of Education and even sought legal assistance. She contended that it’s unjust for the district to consistently deny her transfer request despite zoning her child to attend Southside Middle School. In her words, “This is a burden to not only myself. But, to my mother as well. Having to commute to come pick her up from school.”

With a ray of hope, Evans expressed a desire for the school district to have a change of heart and grant the transfer based on their policy recognizing her residence as zoned within the South Florence district.