Thursday, Jul. 10, 2008

Magee deserves more respect

By Staff Reports

Enquirer Herald

Bob Magee got a mouthful at last week's school board meeting, when several Lake Wylie residents spoke out with concerns he should no longer represent them.

We disagree with those folks.

Magee is a fine school board member who should serve the remainder of his term.

The concerns stemmed from Magee's wife's relocation to the Oconee Nuclear Station. The Magees sold their Lake Wylie home. He moved to another Clover-area residence and his wife has a place near Clemson. It's probably not the most convenient of situations, but families across America are forced to make those kind of compromises for work, especially considering the current economy.

If Magee didn't feel he could adequately serve his community, we're certain he would step down. It would probably make life easier for Magee if he distanced himself from Lake Wylie.

But the very fact that he still wants to serve our students speaks volume about his character. Being a school board member is often a thankless job. Unlike many elected offices, school board members don't receive a dime for their time. They put hours and hours into long meetings, reading documents and attending school functions, and for what? Not to better their lives -- to better our children's lives.

Some said Magee shouldn't serve since he doesn't have a child in the schools. Several other board members don't have children in the system, either, but no one's calling for their resignation. As a homeowner who pays taxes, Magee is just as qualified as anyone else in the district to sit on the board. Who knows -- it may be an added bonus that he doesn't have children in the district anymore. That way parents can't say he has a hidden agenda or favors one school over another.

Others are concerned Magee isn't available, but he's promised people can call him anytime and he even published his phone number and e-mail address in last week's Enquirer-Herald. In fact, we've found he's easier to reach than some elected officials in the area.

Magee still banks here. He attends church in the community and dines at his favorite Clover and Lake Wylie eateries.

Sounds to us like he's still part of the community, despite his wife's location or his own job travels.

One Lake Wylie resident who voted for Magee said it's not a personal issue, but his new status is a fundamental change to what she voted for. But is that really the case?

What qualities did Magee have before the vote that he doesn't have now? We can't think of any. In his six years of service, he has been nothing but pleasant to work with. He's made Clover schools a top priority, and the district has benefited from his service.

We've all heard the old phrase home is where your heart is.

It's clear Bob Magee's heart is with the Clover School District.