SC school taps new leader after child allegedly told to clean floor with toothbrush
A South Carolina school district has named a new acting principal at a school where a 9-year-old student allegedly was forced to clean a school bathroom with a toothbrush because she put too much toilet paper in a commode.
Chesterfield County School District said in a Friday statement that it had conducted an “exhaustive internal investigation” into the incident that reportedly happened in October at Jefferson Elementary School, and subsequently took personnel action.
It announced that, beginning Monday, Angela Demby will become the new acting principal of Jefferson. Demby previously served a number of roles in the district, including as principal of McBee Elementary from 2017 to 2021. Most recently she had been serving as a part-time guidance counselor in the district.
When reached by The State Friday morning, a school district spokesman declined to discuss the employment status of Andrea Garrison, who had been the principal at Jefferson.
Demby has served in a number of leadership roles in Chesterfield County Schools, including serving as the principal of McBee Elementary from 2017 to 2021. She retired at the end of last school year, but had returned to the district as a part-time guidance counselor before being named acting principal at Jefferson.
The incident in question reportedly happened after the student admitted to stuffing too much toilet paper in the toilet, according to several people who identified themselves as family members who spoke at a recent Chesterfield school board meeting. The State reviewed a video recording of the meeting posted on YouTube.
“Of course she knows better. She got her recess taken away from her. All well and good; this should have happened,” said a woman who identified herself as the child’s great grandmother. “But when she returns to school on Tuesday, the principal gives her a toothbrush and cleaning supplies to clean the floor.”
A speaker who said she was the student’s great grandmother said Garrison assigned the punishment.
