Who Is Responsible?

Just who is responsible for seeing that the Board of Trustees of the Richland 2 School District is a duly-constituted and legal Board?

The ultimate responsibility falls on the Board. Or perhaps it will end up being a Court's responsibility.

At the present time there are only five legal members on the Board: Lindsay Agostini, James Manning, Cheryl Caution-Parker, James Shadd and Monica Elkins-Johnson.

Amelia McKee was re-elected on November 6, 2018, but she took the oath of office illegally on November 13, 2018, so she is not a member of the Board. See S.C. Code of Laws Section 8-13-1110(A). McKie didn't file the required Statement of Economic Interests Report until December 4, 2018.

Teresa Holmes was elected on November 6, 2018, but she too took the oath of office illegally on November 13, 2018, so she is not a member of the Board. See S.C. Code of Laws Section 8-13-1110(A). Holmes didn't file the required Statement of Economic Interests Report until December 4, 2018.

Is the Superintendent responsible? As Administrator it is his job to run the District (employees) and to help guide the Board. By now he must realize that McKie and Holmes are not legally members of the Board. But he works for the Board; the Board doesn't work for him.

So why isn't the Board acting immediately to resolve the problem? The fix is easy. All that is needed is to administer the oath of office to McKie and Holmes.

Then McKie and Holmes can legally embark upon the duties of their office. On the Board. But McKie cannot resume as Chair, because they was a break in her service on the Board.

The rest of the Board (the five legal members of the Board) have allowed two unauthorized persons (McKie and Holmes) to sit at the Board desks; to have confidential Board tablets; to attend closed Executive Sessions and to hear matters involving confidential student affairs; to vote on suspensions, transfers, expulsions, diplomas; and to receive compensation as if they were Board members.

The Board may be reluctant to administer the oath of office now, because it will result in the admission that it was incorrectly done on November 13, 2018. If they don't act? It just gets worse.

Parents, voters, teachers, staff and even students should contact the Board of Trustees and insist that they conduct business legally. McKie and Holmes should not be allowed to sit at the Board desks and act like Board members, unless they are Board members.

Phone numbers and email addresses for the Board members are on the Richland 2 website. Call and/or email today.

And please post your comments below about action you will take or have taken.