S.C. Educators Exposed: November 2025

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by ERIN PARROTT

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Continuing our monthly FITSNews coverage of educator misconduct across South Carolina, we are reviewing the latest disciplinary rulings issued by the S.C. State Board of Education (SCSBE) against teachers and other school officials in the Palmetto State.

In November of 2025, the board considered formal disciplinary action against seventeen (17) certified educators statewide. Of those cases, three orders of suspension were issued related to three educator arrests, one allegation of outside communication between an educator and a student and one order of permanent revocation related to terroristic threats.

According to the orders of suspension, the three educator arrests involved criminal sexual conduct with a minor, criminal solicitation of a minor, and the felony charge of unlawfully placing a child at risk or of causing harm to or willfully abandoning a child.

The cases we’re focusing on this month involve educators from four different counties – Greenville, Horry, Aiken and Cherokee – as well as one educator who holds an educator certificate in the Palmetto State but was convicted in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

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KRISTY R. GWINN

• Type: Summary Suspension
• Date: November 4, 2025
• Certificate: 218006
• Allegation: Arrested on the felony charge of criminal sexual conduct with a minor, second degree and sex/incest.
• School: Westcliffe Elementary School
• District: Greenville County School District
• Status: Certificate summarily suspended pending due process.

On or about September 26, 2025, 44-year-old Kristy Gwinn was arrested in Greenville County on the felony charge of criminal sexual conduct with a minor and sex/incest – while serving as an instructional coach at Westcliff Elementary School.

Gwinn, an educator with over 21 years of experience, was placed on paid administrative leave as a result of her arrest. On November 4, 2025 the South Carolina State Board of Education issued an order suspending Gwinn’s teaching license pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

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JASON ERIK KELLER

• Type: Summary Suspension
• Date: November 21, 2025
• Certificate: 217907
• Allegation: Arrested for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, first degree.
• School: Atlantic Collegiate Academy
• District: Limestone Charter Association, Horry County
• Status: Certificate summarily suspended pending due process.

On or about January 14, 2025, Jason Keller – who was 55-years-old at the time – was arrested by the Goose Creek Police Department (GCPD) for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of criminal solicitation of a minor and attempted criminal sexual conduct with a minor after posing as a 14-year-old girl on the instant messaging app Kik.

Keller, who has over 21 years of educator experience, was employed as a non-instructional staff member by Atlantic Collegiate Academy before he was booked into the Berkeley County detention center and bonded out. Ten months later, on November 21, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education issued an order suspending Keller’s teaching license pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

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RELATED | EDUCATORS EXPOSED

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MEAGHAN LYNN KELLER

• Type: Summary Suspension
• Date: November 4, 2025
• Certificate: 264517
• Allegation: Inappropriate communication with a student.
• School: Forestbrook Elementary School
• District: Horry County School District
• Status: Certificate summarily suspended for a period of two years.

On June 30, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education notified Meghan Keller – a teacher at Forestbrook Elementary – of her right to a hearing regarding a potential suspension of her educator certificate. The notice followed a 2023 report from a parent who said he discovered Keller on his 17-year-old’s Snapchat account exchanging photographs with the student.

The parent further alleged that Keller showed up at his child’s place of employment and knew his birthday date. Keller admitted that she and the student had spoken outside of school through face-to-face conversations and texts, but claimed that she only reached out to the student because she was concerned about his well-being.

Keller, an educator with over nine years of experience, was placed on administrative leave April 17, 2023, and resigned from the Horry County School District on May 12, 2023. The South Carolina state Board of Education voted to suspend Keller’s educator certificate on November 4, 2025 for a period of two years.

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TRACI ANJELICA POWERS

• Type: Summary Suspension
• Date: November 4, 2025
• Certificate: 209325
• Allegation: Verbal assault of students
• School: North Augusta High School
• District: Aiken County Public School District
• Status: Certificate summarily suspended for a period of one year.

On September 22, 2022, Traci Powers was placed on administrative leave after the Aiken County Public School District received a report alleging that, while teaching at North Augusta High School, she yelled at students and made disparaging remarks about their intelligence. The report also claimed she slammed a desk on the floor, ordered a student to sit in it, and then snatched a notebook from his hand and slammed it onto the desktop.

Powers, who has over 19 years of educator experience and no prior record of disciplinary action, resigned on January 31, 2023 via a settlement agreement with the District. On November 4, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education issued an order suspending her teaching license for one year.

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CHRISTOPHER DANIEL RAYMOND

• Type: Summary Suspension
• Date: November 21, 2025
• Certificate: 328686
• Allegation: Arrested on the felony charge of children/unlawfully placing a child at risk of or cause harm or willfully abandoning a child.
• School: Ola Copeland Community Learning Center
• District: Cherokee County School District
• Status: Certificate summarily suspended pending due process.

On or about October 27, 2025, 50-year-old Christopher Raymond was arrested in Cherokee County for the felony charge of children/unlawfully placing a child at risk of or cause harm or willfully abandoning a child – while employed as a tear at Ola Copeland Community Learning Center.

Raymond, an educator with over five years of experience, was arrested by the S.C. State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and booked into the Spartanburg County detention center. On November 21, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education issued an order suspending Raymond’s educator license pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.

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ROBERT E. WOOLFORD

• Type: Permanent Revocation
• Date: November 4, 2025
• Certificate: 212559
• Allegation: Convicted for terroristic threats.
• District: Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania
• Status: Certificate permanently revoked.

On January 24, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education was notified that Pennsylvania’s Professional Standards and Practices Commission had revoked the educator license of Robert Woolford – who also holds a South Carolina teaching certificate – following a 2022 conviction the commission deemed a crime involving moral turpitude.

Woolford, an educator with more than a decade of experience, was convicted on July 11, 2022, in Philadelphia County for terroristic threats, prompting the loss of his Pennsylvania license. On September 8, 2025, the South Carolina State Board of Education advised him of his right to a hearing on the possible permanent revocation of his South Carolina certificate – and ultimately voted to revoke his license effective November 4, 2025.

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FITSNews will continue to monitor disciplinary actions from the SCSBE and report on the individuals, institutions and accountability gaps that allow this misconduct to occur.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR…

Erin Parrott is a Greenville, S.C. native who graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2025 with a bachelor degree in broadcast journalism. Got feedback or a tip for Erin? Email her here.

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