CLOVER, S.C. — Clover High School is packed. It’s so crowded that the mid-morning bell means you’ll likely get caught in a stampede of students rushing through the hallway at the South Carolina school.
“We had to switch from a 5-minute bell schedule to a 10-minute bell schedule because it took that long just to get to class,” said Angel Featherson, a senior at Clover High School.
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Featherson says she sees the overcrowding in the halls every day, and she says it’s a matter of feeling safe.
“I think about that all the time. How would I get out if there was a fire? How would I get out if there was a safety issue, because it is very crowded,” Featherson said.
According to the Clover School District, there are about 4,300 students enrolled at Clover High School. Meanwhile, the district has a little over 2,000 middle school students split between two campuses.
Clover School District Superintendent Sheila Quinn said now is the time to act for the sake of the students.
“The Clover District will be out of space for new students at middle and high school levels within three years’ time,” Quinn said.
[ MORE: Clover turns to voters with $156-million bond to fund new high school ]
So on Election Day, CSD asked voters to approve a $156 million bond referendum to build a new high school. Voters appeared to be divided on the issue, with some neighbors saying they were against the plan due to its price tag.
“Per $100,000 in assessed value of your home, your taxes will increase by $8.66 per month,” Quinn said.
But with Election Day in the books, the bond referendum passed by a narrow margin. Just about 51% of residents voted in favor of the bond package, with 49.04% voting no.
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