CHARLESTON, S.C. — Gov. Henry McMaster on Wednesday left trustee Darlene Dunmeyer-Roberson on the Charleston County school board after a state misconduct case, even as he labeled her boardroom handling of confidential material unacceptable.
The decision followed a State Inspector General probe and a Sept. 28 hearing before a three-attorney panel McMaster appointed under a 2022 law that first let a governor decide whether to oust a school board member.
Panelists unanimously found Dunmeyer-Roberson shared attorney-client privileged district emails with people outside the board, including by forwarding messages to local reporters. She told the panel she thought the material was already public and had not read the confidentiality footer.
McMaster wrote that the inspector general findings were deeply troubling and that she broke board confidentiality rules when privileged material reached non-members, but that those facts alone did not justify the harsh penalty of stripping an elected trustee of her seat before her term ends.
The panel said it lacked enough proof on claims that she steered a district contract to her former campaign manager or improperly shared executive-session material. The inspector general file was also sent to the State Law Enforcement Division and the Department of Revenue for separate review. Local TV reporting on the decision noted the probe had counted dozens of sensitive disclosures to media and vendors.
Dunmeyer-Roberson, first elected in 2022 and represented by state Rep. Kambrell Garvin, said she was grateful to keep her seat and will review the record to decide whether a further response is warranted. Her district covers Edisto Island, Hollywood, Johns Island and Ravenel.
