John Graham Altman says he's running for school board

One of Charleston County's most controversial, outspoken and longest-serving elected officials is looking to get back into politics by way of the school board.

John Graham Altman, who held office for 30 years as a state lawmaker and school board member, said Monday that he plans to run for one of two at-large West Ashley seats in the November school board election.

Altman toyed with the idea of running again for school board when he left the General Assembly in 2006, but that never came to fruition. About a month ago, his wife encouraged him to consider a campaign after seeing a spark in her husband while he gave a speech about education.

Altman has been a constant critic of the school district. Some praise him for his candor; others call him divisive. He said Monday that schools still aren't running well and that he wants to make them safe places where children can learn.

"If people are happy with the way they (schools) are being run, do not vote for John Graham Altman," he said.

Altman will face incumbent David Engelman, a fiscal conservative who said that Altman is a smart man but that he's not worried about his chances for re-election.

"I think competition is good," he said. "The same thing that's good for the schools is good for the board."

Incumbent Brian Moody, who holds the other West Ashley seat, said he hasn't decided whether he will run again, but said he wouldn't base his decision on who is in the race. If he does decide to run, he said it would be a "fun race" and he looked forward to debating whether the school district is better now than it was years ago.

No one has filed to run in the county school board race; the filing deadline is July 15.

Altman said he doesn't have anything to gain by running and simply sees a need to "do something with our schools." He emphasized the need to "get the thugs out of the schools" and said he hoped district officials would meet with area fire chiefs soon to ensure school building safety in light of the Sofa Super Store fire that killed nine firefighters last summer.

School board member Arthur Ravenel Jr., who's known Altman most of his life, said he thought it good that Altman planned to run. Altman is independent, smart and experienced in school board issues, and he would "liven things up," Ravenel said. He said he doesn't agree with Altman on every issue but said perhaps he could be a calming influence on Altman, or vice versa.

"I know he's very controversial, but so am I," Ravenel said. "I can work with John."

Former school board Chairman Robert New, who presided over the board for part of the time when Altman was previously on it, said the public would be ill-advised to support Altman. New called him a "destructive force" on the board.

Altman is articulate and a master of the sound bite, New said, and he generated enormous amounts of press by holding frequent news conferences. School officials spent time reacting to nonsense, such as accusations that teachers were helping students cheat on exams, rather than trying to move the district forward, he said.

"It was just a nonstop, unbridled criticism of everything involving the school district, from the top to the bottom," New said. "I just think his motives are not pure and haven't been for many years."

Reach Diette Courrégé at 937-5546 or dcourrege@post andcourier.com.