CHAPTER 47 - SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND
Title 59 - Education
CHAPTER 47.
SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND
SECTION 59-47-10. Board of commissioners of the School for the Deaf and the Blind.
The board of commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind shall consist of ten members appointed by the Governor for terms of six years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. Each congressional district must be represented by one board member, who must be a resident of that district, and four members must be appointed at large from the State. Of the members appointed at large, one must be deaf, one must be blind, one must represent the interests of persons with multiple handicaps, and one shall represent the general public. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term. The State Superintendent of Education and the executive officer of the Department of Health and Environmental Control are ex officio members of the board.
SECTION 59-47-20. Compensation and expenses of board.
The board shall receive no compensation for its services. It shall be allowed actual expenses, to be paid by the superintendent of the school.
SECTION 59-47-30. Duties and powers of board.
The board of commissioners is vested with the supervision and control of the affairs and government of said school, with power to regulate salaries of officers and teachers, to establish conditions, forms and regulations for the admission of pupils therein and to prescribe such rules and bylaws as in its judgment shall be necessary for the management and good government thereof.
SECTION 59-47-40. Officers and meetings of board.
The board of commissioners shall elect a chairman, vice chairman and secretary from their number and shall meet annually at the institution and at such other times and places as the chairman of the board shall direct.
SECTION 59-47-50. Election of president.
The president of the school shall be elected by the board of commissioners and shall be the immediate executive head of the school. He shall be responsible to the board of commissioners.
SECTION 59-47-60. Duties and powers of president.
The president shall nominate all his subordinate officers and teachers, subject to the approval of the board of commissioners. He shall be the official medium of communication between the board and the subordinate officers and employees, shall make all regulations of internal policy, shall authorize the purchase of ordinary supplies and shall examine and certify to the correctness of all bills of such supplies.
SECTION 59-47-70. Deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired persons admitted.
All deaf, hard of hearing, blind, and visually impaired persons of the State who are eligible, each case to be decided by the board of commissioners, must be admitted to the benefits of the school.
SECTION 59-47-80. Expenses of applicants.
The whole or part of the expenses of the several applicants shall be paid, according to the opinion which the commissioners may form as to the pecuniary condition of the applicants. In case there are more applicants than would exhaust the annual appropriation, the commissioners shall make selection according to their opinion of the deserts of the various applicants.
SECTION 59-47-90. Maintenance fees.
Pursuant to the authority of Section 59-47-80, the board of commissioners shall establish a maintenance fee schedule to be charged students attending the school. Such schedule may, in the discretion of the board, be graduated in accordance with the financial resources and income of the parent or guardian of the student concerned, or may be excused entirely in proper cases. Failure to pay maintenance fees in accordance with the schedule prescribed by the board may result in the discharge of a student from the school when the board determines that payment of fees would not be an unreasonable burden upon those persons obligated to pay such fees. All funds collected as maintenance fees, including any such fees collected prior to July 1 1970, shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for deposit in a special fund to be used for capital improvements at the school.
SECTION 59-47-100. Appropriations; reports of board.
The board of commissioners shall draw the annual appropriations as made by the General Assembly for the support and maintenance of said school and shall annually report to the General Assembly an exact statement of their various acts and doings during the past year, showing exactly how they disbursed the money received and expended, the names of the persons who have received the bounty, the ages and places of residence of such persons and information as to their progress. Vouchers covering all such disbursements shall be filed in the office of the Comptroller General.
SECTION 59-47-110. Campus police; application of traffic laws; regulation of traffic.
(1) The board of commissioners of the South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind is hereby empowered to employ campus police to police the buildings and grounds of the school. Such campus police shall work under the supervision of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, and shall not enter into such employment unless and until they have been appointed Governor's constables with general authority as peace officers.
(2) All traffic laws of the State shall be in full force and effect on the streets and roads of the school, whether such streets and roads are deemed public or private.
(3) The board is hereby empowered to promulgate reasonable additional rules and regulations relating to vehicular traffic within the grounds of the school including, but not limited to, parking of vehicles and reduced vehicular speeds, notwithstanding any other provision of law; and to provide penalties for the violation thereof, not to exceed a fine of one hundred dollars; and such rules and regulations, when duly promulgated, shall have the full force and effect of law and violations thereof shall be triable in magistrate's court.
SECTION 59-47-120. Contracts with staff attending advance training paid for by school to remain beyond completion.
(A) Teaching or clinical staff employed by the school who attend advanced training paid for by the school may be required to enter a contract with the school to remain in the employment of the school for a minimum of one year beyond completion of the training. If an employee breaches this contract, the employee shall reimburse the school for all expenses incurred by the school in providing this training for the employee.
(B) For purposes of this section, "advanced training" means an educational course or program as defined by the school in regulation.