Parents concerned over plans to close Charleston County elementary school

CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCSC) - Minnie Hughes Elementary on Yonges Island is one of the Charleston County School District schools that could be closing should the district’s board move forward with its current plans.

Under the current plan, which is only a recommendation at this point, all Minnie Hughes Elementary students would be relocated to E.B. Ellington Elementary. Ellington would be expanded to accommodate the growth.

The two schools are 13 miles apart. Minnie Hughes has more than 200 students, while Ellington has about 350.

Brittany Johnson is a concerned parent whose daughter is set to go to Minnie Hughes next year.

“I want my child to be able to go to school in kindergarten, first grade and read in her community," Johnson said. "We shouldn’t have to leave our community to get a better education. That’s not fair to us.”

Johnson along with other parents are expected to attend a listening session with Charleston County School District officials on Tuesday night at Baptist Hill High School.

Brenda Bowman is also planning on being there. She’s a former student whose children also went there and whose grandchildren are set to go there in the years to come.

“Minnie Hughes has been around a very long time," Bowman said. "We have produced generals, we have produced colonels, engineers, doctors, teachers with this small community environment. And we can continue to do that, if not better.”

Listening sessions are scheduled around the county through the end of the month. The full list can be found here.

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