What a waste of valuation time of the Board and of the Superintendent.
The opening comments by the Chair were inaudible, as were following comments.
Apparently I was not the only person in the territory of Richland 2 who did not know that this was a time for the public to appear and speak on the budget. Richland 2 should offer mind-reading courses for adults in the District.
I was there to observe. One parent finally spoke about 5:20PM for, maybe, two minutes. The District did a lousy job of publicizing that that 30 minutes was for the public to speak about the proposed budget. What did the board it? It scheduled that part of the meeting for 5:00PM, just when people are leaving work and driving home. Or maybe having an early dinner, in order to be at the board meeting at 6:30PM.
How did the Board members spend their time? Side conversations. Texting. Emailing. Some appeared to be doing Board work of reviewing documents.
This was a public meeting. The Board was on the clock.
Some board members were observed using their cell phones, probably to text or email. What does Board Policy say about this?
Policy BEDL Board Members and Electronic Communications
Issued 9/17
What's the penalty for violating Board Policy? The board has created arduous punishment for teachers, staff and students, but none for itself.
"Board members will not communicate electronically during meetings with members of the public, other board members, or school district staff regarding official school board business, agenda items, or other board matters that are properly discussed publicly during board meetings, as such communications are subject to public disclosure under the state open meeting laws. Board members will refrain from such electronic communications during board meetings on both personal and district owned devices. Electronic communication means, but is not limited to, email, tweets, texts, phone calls, web posts, and other similar electronic communication."
Everything said by a Board member during the public session is to be audible to the public. The public cannot know what is being communicated by text or email, because the public cannot hear it.
This Policy is fairly fresh: September 2017. Everyone on the current board, with the exception of one, was on the board when this Policy was updated.
Who is responsible for policing the board? The members themselves? The superintendent? I suppose he could "remind" them, but he has no authority to insist that they obey board policies. He works for them, not the other way around.
Job security = "don't make waves".
Side conversations?
There must (or should be) something in Board Policies regarding conversations and remarks between board members during a public session. Such remarks are to be audible to the public. That's why it is called an Open Session. The Chair should halt side conversations; but what about those in which she engages?
There were a couple of times last night when the board and superintendent spoke right into the microphone. Supt. Davis is often good about doing so. Often, I say; not always. Teresa Holmes speaks up and right into the microphone. Sometimes. Last night she wanted every teacher in South Carolina to know he or she has her support. Voilà! Mouth up close to the microphone; loud voice! And that night when she took board comment time to sling barbs at me.
Every board member needs to be told and reminded to lean forward; pull the microphone toward you; speak into the microphone with your mouth very close to it; don't turn away from the microphone and continue speaking to another board member. Whose job is it to train them?
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