Voters in West Ashley have a choice in the 2024 election for Charleston County School Board District 6: Daron Lee Calhoun II, Michele Leber, or Samuel Whatley II. We sent a questionnaire to all three candidates about key civil-liberties issues.
We asked the candidates, “Will you prioritize students’ freedom to read when responding to book ban requests?”
Daron Lee Calhoun II said, “Yes.” He added:
“As a board member I believe it is our duty to protect the rights of students to read. The State of South Carolina is using its power to force local boards to pass policy that makes it easier for books to be banned in our schools. However, it is up to local board members to push back against nefarious request for books to be removed.”
Michele Leber and Samuel Whatley II didn’t answer the question.
We asked the candidates questions about pursuing greater teacher and administrator diversity, keeping religious lessons out of public school classrooms, affirming the rights of LGBTQ+ students, and protecting teachers from viewpoint-based classroom censorship. In each case, Calhoun wrote that he was supportive, while Leber and Whatley declined to answer.
You can read the rest of Calhoun, Leber, and Whatley’s responses below, along with the responses we received from all 2024 candidates in the Charleston County School Board race.
District 6 Candidate Responses
The ACLU of South Carolina does not endorse or oppose candidates, but wants you to cast an informed vote.
Are you a Charleston County voter and unsure about which school board district is yours? Head over to SCVotes.org to get a sample ballot for the election.
