At the discretion of Gov. Henry McMaster, a Charleston County School Board member will remain in her role through allegations of misconduct and the recommendation of a first-of-its-kind hearing panel. The governor, however, said board member Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson's actions and conduct were "unacceptable" in a letter stating his decision.
An August state inspector general report alleged that Dunmeyer-Roberson leaked confidential information and influenced school district staff to help find work for her former campaign manager — among other allegations.
She defended herself against the allegations late September in a four-hour unprecedented hearing. The Sept. 28 hearing was the first of its kind under a 2022 state law that gave the governor the power to remove school board members who engage in various acts of misconduct.
Although McMaster will not remove Dunmeyer-Roberson, he said the inspector general's findings and the panel's report were "deeply troubling."
"The findings show unnecessary disruption," he said.
McMaster specifically mentioned her violation of attorney-client privilege, but he said the findings do not warrant the "most significant action" of a public official's removal.
"I find that your conduct while serving in this office has been unacceptable," McMaster said in his letter.
"But I will not involve removal because removing a duly elected public official is a most significant action: It denies the citizens the service of the person whom they chose to represent them in a public office and it deprives the office holder of his earned right to serve, both of which are rights protected by the Constitution of South Carolina and the Constitution of the United States."
Dunmeyer-Roberson was elected to the board in 2022.
The three-person panel she faced found that she shared information covered under attorney-client privilege. It concluded in its report that the McMaster had the right to remove her from her position.
The panelists did not believe Dunmeyer-Roberson had committed wrongdoing by forwarding confidential emails to her personal email address, which was still connected to a vendor account she had prior to her time on the board. Allegations that Dunmeyer-Roberson used her influence to find her former campaign manager district work did not have enough evidence to prove, according to the panel's report sent to McMaster.
The governor said, in part, the findings could be a result of the inspector general's available tools; Inspector General Brian Lamkin does not have the power to issue search warrants or access a grand jury to gather evidence.
In a statement sent through her lawyer, state Rep. Kambrell Garvin, D-Columbia, Dunmeyer-Roberson said she was grateful for McMaster's decision but was "concerned by certain conclusions and characterizations contained in his decision."
"Although the question of my removal has been resolved, I believe it is equally important that the public have a full and accurate understanding of the record and the circumstances surrounding these allegations," she said. "My commitment to the children, families, and communities of Charleston County remains unchanged. I will continue to serve with the same dedication and purpose that guided me to seek this office."
Dunmeyer-Roberson and Garvin will review the panel's report and "any revised report" from the inspector general to evaluate if the findings warrant a future response.
