4/30/19 School Board Meeting - Part 5 Shadd on May 1st closings

The April 30, 2019 School Board meeting video-recording is available on YouTube now.

At (2:23:25) during the Board and Superintendent comments toward the end of the meeting, Trustee James Shadd commented.

I remember having a physical reaction during comments at the meeting. I knew better than to laugh out loud. I would hate to have been gaveled into submission by Amelia McKie or removed by the Richland 2 security chief (or worse, by one of the three hired Richland County deputies).

What did he say that roused my ire? Go to the YouTube video and fast-forward to 2:23:25.

District 2 schools closed "because SCforED has a rally at the State House" ...  Wow! What a reason for the District to close (how many? 27?) schools!!!

You'd think we have a bunch of labor union bosses as District School Board members!

Shadd said "...a number of teachers wanted to participate in it..." Ha-ha-ha. "a number..." of teachers. Did he know at that time how many? Let's see, "a number" would be, perhaps, eight? ten? 

I am emailing a FOIA request to Richland 2 School District for the number of personal-leave requests received, granted and denied.

Why did District schools close? Shadd said "primarily (he emphasized) for safety and security..." Who is he kidding?

The reason was because the Administration approved too many teachers' personal-leave requests and, by doing so, impaired the ability of the District to conduct a day of education!

Shadd continued, saying that the reason the District made the decision to close the schools was "to insure that the staff that would have remained as well as students, of course, would be safe..."

Shadd said he supported the decision of the school district to close and that he supports the advocacy of the teachers. He encourages parents "to exercise our understanding" and "use it as a teachable moment for their children as regard to advocacy".

Yeah, right. Teach your children that mob rule and bullying works. Is that it?

Shadd said he intended to be at the State House on May 1. What an example for a Board member!!!

He wasn't the only Board member to jump on the teachers' bandwagon. The Board is responsible to the Voters and the Taxpayers. And they need to be so reminded at the next election.