Convocation still locked!

The superintendent's Tuesday "convocation" is still locked. What is he hiding from the public?

Yesterday I emailed him and requested that he unlock the speech. His office did not have the courtesy to reply.

As a back-up, I filed a FOIA request, and I'm sure the District will take the full two weeks to reply.

It's my understanding that Baron said District 2 is under attack. 

Ha-ha. Doesn't he understand why? The board (majority) played stupid games for the past school year, led by Madam Woke and her gang. She complained often about "antics" and completely ignored that they were her own antics. 

The convocation will receive very close scrutiny by many people, once it becomes public.

The link for the recording is here:  https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10569733

When it is unlocked, you'll be able to view and listen to it. 

Appreciation for dedicated, bold teachers

I want to take this opportunity to thank those Richland 2 teachers and staff who are contacting me and feeding me the dirt on the District. Your confidentiality is guaranteed. I know you care about the District and the students and that you do not like what is coming down from the top. Especially the D-E-I nonsense.

Some of you have identified yourselves; some are calling and are understandably reluctant to give me your names. I understand that completely.

You fear retaliation and retribution for speaking out about what is wrong in Richland 2. And there is a lot wrong. 

I understand the superintendent said in his so-far secret convocation on Tuesday that Richland 2 is under attack.

That's kind of like Putin says Russia is under attack, when Ukraine blows up some of its tanks.

I wrote a blog in Illinois before moving to Columbia in 2014, and the sheriff's department and several local police departments were often mentioned. Deputies and officers contacted me with the dirt, and it drove the sheriff crazy. He couldn't find the leaks.

After one deputy was fired and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in Federal Court, the sheriff had his attorney subpoena 27 months' worth of my blog records for all communications received from any current or former employees of the sheriff's department.

I was alerted that the subpoena was on the way, and I cleaned out my computer and stored all other communications elsewhere. After I received the subpoena in the mail, I filed a Motion to Quash pro se.

When I appeared before the Federal Magistrate on my Motion, he asked me two questions, and then he sank his teeth into the sheriff's attorney, telling her she was just on a "fishing expedition" (his exact words) and that the subpoena didn't have anything to do with case.

The magistrate's words still ring in my ears. "Mr. Philpott, you have won your motion." How sweet it is!

I knew it could go the other way. I was prepared to go to jail to protect the identity of the people who had trusted me with the information.

It's the same with you. I shall never reveal your names or anything that can identify you.

What's hidden in the Convocation address?

Three full business days have passed since the superintendent addressed the employees with his "convocation". 

You can see the link on livestream. His talk is at  https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10569733

Here's what you'll see ...

What is in there that he doesn't want us to know?

Vote on the Dress Code

When the Dress Code came up at the August 9th board meeting, how was it handled? (I didn't watch that part of the meeting yet.)

After a Motion and Second, when discussion started, did Holmes or McKie say, "We know how it's going to turn out, so why don't we skip the discussion and vote?"

 

Was the vote 4-3? 

The stage was set The Core Four (Manning, Holmes, McKie,, Caution-Parker) voted against Trustee Agostini's motion to amend the agenda and postpone the vote on the Dress Code.

I'll make the coffee extra-strong in the morning and try to watch the rest of the meeting after public participation.

Secret Convocation Message?

What did Supt. Baron Davis say in his "convocation" to Richland 2 employees on August 9 that he doesn't want the public to hear?

The "speech" location is saved at  https://livestream.com/richland2/events/10569733. But it is password-protected. That means Locked. If you don't know the password, you can't get at it.

Email Baron Davis now at badavis@richland2.org and demand that he unlock that livestream broadcast.

Before Tuesday night's board meeting I asked about it. I was told (by someone who is in a position to know) that not all employees had heard his message, and that is why the speech was locked.

My response was "We (the public) want to know what he is telling them."

Is the District "under attack"? What foolishness!

Rather than wait, I have filed a FOIA request this morning. That, of course, should not have been necessary. That livestream recording never should have been locked in the first place! Once he finished his remarks, the public is entitled to know what he said.

"This FOIA Request is for documentation of the August 9, 2022, Convocation remarks delivered by Supt. Baron Davis including, but not limited to, the Livestream.com recording and the written text of that presentation. 

"This FOIA Request will be considered met, if Richland School District Two unlocks the password-protected feature on the Livestream.com website or provides a password to the presentation without restriction on dissemination of that password."

Oust The Core Four

This morning I am thinking more about last Tuesday night's board meeting and how The Core Four stuck together to oppose Trustee Agostini's motion to amend the agenda to remove the Dress Code from a vote that night.

With 89 days to Election Day, I have re-thought my position on voting. Normally I would approach an election only with a positive thought; i.e., for whom will I vote?

But this election is different. This year I'm thinking of how important it is to replace all four of The Core Four; Holmes, McKie, Caution-Parker, and Manning.

What good reason last Tuesday night was there for not postponing the vote for two weeks to allow further consideration? None!

Yet The Core Four stuck together, as they have for the last year, like peanut butter. Or like cold asphalt. So the vote on Agostini's motion was 3-4 (Fail). And then they turned right around and approved the agenda (without a delay in the vote) 4-3.

Trustees Agostini, Scott, and McFadden know that, no matter what they bring up, The Core Four will vote against them. And that is why ALL of The Core Four must go.

Pay close attention to the candidates who have already filed: McGee Moody, Angela Nash, Larry Smalls, and Joe Trapp (alphabetically by last name). Each and every one of them is a better choice than any of The Core Four.

Watch here for more about them: photos, profiles, campaign materials, maybe interviews.

Postpone Dress Code Decision?

At last night's school board meeting, Trustee Agostini made a motion to postpone the Dress Code item on the agenda until the August 23rd meeting. This was at the beginning of the meeting when the Agenda was up for approval.

Her explanation? Teachers had contacted her with concerns.

She probably knew her motion was doomed from the start. And, sure enough, it failed on a 3-4 vote. Guess who The Four were.

The next motion was to pass the agenda as presented, and that passed 4-3. Guess who The Four were.

And the killer comment of the discussion? 

The supt. said that he had not heard from any teachers with concerns about the Dress Code.

First of all, no comment from him was needed at all. He is not on the board. And he (the head of Administration) was behind the revision to the Dress Code. The revisions show the full-Woke position of the District, confirmed by The Core Four.

Secondly, of course he hasn't heard from any teachers. What teacher, in his right mind, would jump the chain-of-command and dare to express himself directly to the superintendent?

That teacher would be drawn and quartered for insubordination and have a request sent to the S.C. Dept. of Education to have his teaching certificate revoked.