Schools

Kelly Marlow Wants Taxpayers To Pay For Attorney

District 1 Cherokee School Board Member is asking her colleagues to provide her with an attorney for her upcoming ethics hearing.

An embattled Cherokee County School Board member wants her colleagues to provide her with an attorney for her upcoming ethics violation hearing — and for taxpayers to pick up the tab.

In a letter dated Aug. 5, Marlow writes to Board Chair Janet Read, formally making the request. She notes that School Board Attorney Tom Roach will be representing the board in the hearing as "taxpayer funded counsel."  

"As the defendant, I am entitled to equal representation, and to have legal counsel present for the the tribunal when it is called," Marlow writes. "Given that the board is being represented by Mr. Roach, at public expense, and neither he nor his office will be representing me in this matter (which is directly related to my work as a member of the Cherokee County School Board), I request that you authorize counsel at the rate at which Mr. Roach bills the school district." 

Read on Aug. 7 responded via email to Marlow, informing the District 1 member that she will submit the agenda item for next week's meeting since the request needs to be considered by the board as a whole. 

"Please don't spend the money on certified mail in the future," Read added in her letter. "That seems like such a waste since I always answer emails from board members." 

The board is set to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday Aug. 15 at the historic Canton High School/School Board Auditorium. The meeting will be preceded by the board's annual Trends in Education work session at 5:30 p.m. 

The board last month unanimously voted to move forward with scheduling an ethics hearing for Marlow. 

Marlow is accused of violating board policies relating to governance structure and conduct as a board member by asking AdvancED to investigate her colleagues on the board. 

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