VIDEO: Royster Gets Support At Meeting, Trustees Spar Over Executive Session

The Greenville County School Board meeting's period to discuss the superintendent search included two decidedly pro-Royster voices, and entered into executive session on a contentious note.

Fountain Inn Mayor Gary Long and Fountain Inn Economic Development Director Van Broad both voiced their support for Greenville County Schools Assistant Superintendent William Burke Royster as the next head of the school district. Lynn P. Moody and Eugene G. White are also among those being considered.

Some sparring ensued as the regular meeting adjourned. As trustees began to motion in favor of retiring to executive session to discuss the search, Trustee Chuck Saylors openly opposed the private meeting, especially considering the long executive session over the weekend that yielded no results. Trustee Crystal Ball O'Connor disagreed, and as Trustee Leola Robinson-Simpson began to echo her agreement that the executive session should in fact go forward, Saylors and several other board members began to talk over each other and over Robinson-Simpson, who had the floor.

The board ultimately voted 10-2 to discuss the matter in private.