True Colors

Several men and women at the front tables during last night's School Board meeting showed their true colors. In striving to present themselves as a "Premier Board" of a "Premier School District", they let an unprofessional and ongoing attack occur that was directed at a member of the Richland 2 community (me).

There is no doubt that it is Black Power Month at Richland 2. McKie, Caution-Parker and Shadd flexed their jaw muscles at last night's meeting. And, when Trustee Agostini asked who is paying for the superintendent's jaunt to L.A. in March, he answered with a lengthy and defensive response, rather than just saying that the host organization will reimburse travel expenses, with no payment for his speaking.

This game can get played in both directions. They'll get the last word at a Board meeting, but I'll get the last word here. Of course, they are free to comment below, if they have the courage that Rep. Thigpen mentioned in his inspirational moment.

I wonder whether the Board Chair might have offered me five minutes just before adjournment for rebuttal.

It was a little lopsided to allow three board members to pile on. "Ethics Commission Debtor" McKie led the rush. Caution-Parker displayed outrage (as opposed to sitting wordlessly, as she has through meeting after meeting), and Shadd came alive for the first time in 13 months.

They got to close out the meeting, but there will always be future meetings.

Perhaps at a future meeting some of these questions will come up.

* Is "The Premier 100", the #1 High-Urgency Initiative presented by the superintendent last night, a Board-approved initiative? It is to hire 100 men-of-color. Why isn't it to hire 100 of the best and brightest applicants for employment, rather than men of color? Is Richland 2 going to be racially-biased and discriminate in its hiring practices?

* Has McKie made a payment toward her $51.750 debt to the Ethics Commission?

* Did McKie get fined $100 by the Ethics Commission for filing her January 10, 2020 Campaign Disclosure Report more than 30 days late?

* Has Shadd settled his $1,400 debt to the Ethics Commission?

* Do all of the Board members read and understand all of the electronic packet sent to them before each Board meeting? Or do many of them just vote "Yes" because the superintendent presents it?
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