In many schools across the nation in the last few decades, concerns over discipline have led to so-called “zero tolerance” policies. USC law Professor Derek Black says suspension and expulsion rates have doubled under zero tolerance policies in the past 30 years. Texas educator Dr. Nesa Sasser Hartford believes that the policies are justified in three specific areas – drugs, guns and sexual improprieties. Black says that zero tolerance is cheap and efficient in the short run, but ultimately

Nearly two years after the historic October 2015 storm, many low-income homeowners are finally receiving assistance to repair their flood-damaged homes with the help of The South Carolina Disaster Recovery Office , or SCDRO. SCDRO announced in a press release last week that it closed its application intake period for the October 2015 Severe Storm Program at the end of April—capping off at 3,755 completed applications—and has moved forward with home repairs and replacements for eligible

The saga of the problem plagued V.C. Summer nuclear project continues, but its’ future will be determined by some critical decisions expected to be made over the next several months. Two new Westinghouse reactors are under construction by SCE&G and state-owned utility Santee Cooper at SCE&G’s Summer plant some 25 miles north of Columbia in Fairfield County. Work on the facility is years behind schedule, and running billions of dollars over cost estimates. Adding to the problems for the

At the Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities in Greenville, Irina Ushakova teaches ballet and pointe. A native of Russia, Irina says she’s definitely different from most American teachers. Irina’s strict teaching style is influenced by her training in Russia at the Perm State Ballet School. She now calls South Carolina home, but her daughter decided to follow in her footsteps by training in Russia. South Carolina Public Radio's Laura Hunsberger has more.

Not many people would sell their homes to go sailing up and down the east coast of the United States and into the Caribbean for six years. But Heather and Dave Mann, late of Wisconsin and now of Summerville, did just that. Dave says they did it for the adventure, and they had plenty of those, which Heather recorded in a book about the lessons she learned from the ocean during their voyage aboard their sailboat, the Wild Hair. Along the way, they and their sole companion, Dinghy the sailing cat,

People across the nation are anxiously awaiting the total solar eclipse August 21st. South Carolinians are among them, as the Palmetto State will be one of the best places in the United States to view the event. The 65-mile wide path of totality, or area of total eclipse, will pass through Greenville, Columbia and parts of Charleston. Lawn chairs and sun block will help people to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime event. But two Midlands ophthalmologists remind us that the most essential element to

The Battle of Kings Mountain took place in rural South Carolina on October 7, 1780, just nine miles south of the present-day town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. There, Patriot militia defeated the Loyalist militia during the Southern campaign of the Revolutionary War. The battle is known as a pivotal moment in the Southern campaign. According to the National Park Service , Thomas Jefferson called it "The turn of the tide of success.” Now, over 230 years later, local author and playwright

Many homeowners near South Carolina’s coast were left to deal with significant property damage in the wake of Hurricane Matthew. Now, early in 2017’s hurricane season, which began in June and runs through November, there are options for coastal South Carolinians who want to prepare for storm damage. One of them is the South Carolina Safe Home Program , a grant program operated by the South Carolina Department of Insurance to help offset the cost of home alterations that mitigate storm-related

PASOs is a nonprofit that provides resources for the Latino community to take steps towards a healthier population. Here, South Carolina Public Radio’s Laura Hunsberger talks with the Executive Director, Julie Smithwick, and the Midland’s Director, Ana Cossio, about the organizations return to their primary mission. Julie Smithwick, Executive Director of PASOs, says South Carolina has one of the fastest growing Latinopopulations in the country. According to Smithwick, the Latino immigrant

Last week’s daring escape by an inmate at a maximum security state prison has brought the issue of prisoners having smuggled cell phones behind bars to the forefront. Authorities say that 46 year old Jimmy Causey, who was serving a life sentence for kidnapping, used contraband cell phones to aid in his escape from Lieber Correctional Center near Ridgeville in Dorchester County. Officials say cellphones allow easy ways for prisoners to stay in touch with the outside world, and can even allow them