A former member of a local school board is running to regain his seat.
Ken Loveless announced in a Facebook post on Friday his intention to return to the Lexington-Richland 5 school board in November’s election.
“I believe that we are in an unprecedentedly perilous time for public education, one to which our district is not immune,” Loveless said in the announcement. “My perspectives and experience continue to spur within me the need to serve others.
“Having previously served as vice chairman of the board, I am uniquely qualified to hit the ground pulling in the right direction.”
Loveless previously served on the Chapin-Irmo area board from 2018 and 2022, serving as the board’s vice chair for the last two years of his term.
With school district voters considering a new $240 million bond referendum later this year, the construction contractor also touted his outside experience in the business world.
“School districts are constantly building, maintaining and remodeling,” he wrote. “I understand construction contracts and building systems and I have already saved the district and taxpayers money due to my expertise, resources which could then be used in the classroom. When I am elected, I will ensure that the waste stops and the quality improves.”
The announcement also highlights bullying prevention and preparing students for the workforce, as well as attracting and retaining talent.
“Unfortunately, District Five is now on task to put more resources into buildings and administration than in the classroom,” he said. “I have a track record of eliminating waste and focusing on classroom needs.”
Loveless’ previous time on the school board, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic, was a tumultuous one. Then-Superintendent Christina Melton butted heads with board members, including Loveless, over the pace of reopening schools from the pandemic shutdown and the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions . The one-time S.C. superintendent of the year surprised many when she resigned midway through 2021 with a $226,368 payout .
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Loveless himself was fined more than $6,000 by the S.C. Ethics Commission for ethics violations during his time on the board. The commission found Loveless had made inquiries about Piney Woods Elementary School, then being built by Contract Construction. Loveless’ company had previously received a contract with the firm to work together on an outside project, creating a conflict of interest. Loveless is appealing that decision.
That ethics violation is the basis of an ongoing federal lawsuit Loveless filed against three of his former school board colleagues. The suit alleges Michael Cates, Beth Hutchison and Ed White conspired with former school board attorney Michael Montgomery to violate his First Amendment rights by raising the ethics concerns.
Loveless also has an active state defamation lawsuit against current school board member Kevin Scully, over Facebook comments Scully made referring to Loveless as “crooked” and “a loser.”
Scully was subsequently elected to the school board in 2022, in the same election in which Loveless lost his seat by 16 votes.
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Loveless is seeking to return to the school board representing the Lexington County side of the school district. The filing period for Lexington County school boards runs until Aug. 15.
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