Public Comments Restricted on 3/26/19

The March 26, 2019 Richland 2 School Board meeting has been posted to YouTube.com  You can view that meeting right here.

An important procedure was changed at this meeting. In view of the harassment charge filed against me by Teresa Holmes on March 20, I think you'll be interested in the change.

At 0:07:35 into the recorded meeting, Mrs. McKie introduced the Public Participation segment. Before she could finish the general housekeeping rules for public comments, she was interrupted by Teresa Holmes. Mrs. McKie finished her comments and then recognized Holmes.

At 0:08:19 Holmes said: “Madame Chair, I’d like to make a point of privilege at this time." McKie consented.

Holmes: "I’d like to just reiterate the guidelines for public participation tonight. Just a few points. [Reading] Members of the public may address the Board on any subject within Board authority {emphasis added]. So the subjects that are addressed need to be something that the Board can address. Secondly, speakers are requested to refrain from inappropriate language and from engaging in any form of personal abuses [emphasis added]. [End of reading] 

"As you have reiterated, Madame Chair, we do not use student’s names, teacher’s names, and ekcetra (it sounded like) and we also ought not be doing that also with Board member’s names. This is not the time for that. I aks, humbly aks that, as the Chair of the Board, you use the gavel to adhere to those policies so that we can continue with what we are here for and that is the governance of children, policy and moving the District forward. So I aks, respectfully aks, that you follow those guidelines, Madame Chair."

Do I think that McKie and Holmes worked this out ahead of time?

Do I think that McKie selected Holmes to give the admonitions, instead of Mr. Manning or Dr. Caution-Parker or Dr. Elkins-Johnson or Mrs. Agostini or Mr. Shadd? 

I have never experienced a Board meeting when any speaker use inappropriate language. Why did Holmes find it necessary to mention that?

I have never experienced a Board meeting when any speaker engaged in any form of personal abuse? Why did Holmes mention that?

The first speaker didn't get gaveled in submission for mentioning her son or the absence of Board members at the More Justice forum that was held recently.

I wanted to avoid leaving the meeting with any bruises from a flying gavel, so I modified my comments that night. You can view my comments at 0:13:05.