Public cautioned not to name board members

When the public participation segment of the February 25, 2020 board meeting was introduced, Chairman Manning reminded the speaker, as she approached, not to mention the names of any staff members or board members.

I can appreciate that he might not want the public to criticize any staff members, because staff is not going to get an opportunity to respond.

But to limit the public from mentioning elected board members is an incorrect instruction.

How else can members of the public call attention to wrong-doing by a board member?

A letter or email or phone call to someone (board member) will not gain any public attention.

The only place to do it is at a board meeting.

For example, there are two women on the board who have never taken the oath of office legally. They did take the oath of office on November 13, 2018, but that was before they became eligible to do so. They had not filed their Statements of Economic Interest (SEI) with the S.C. Ethics Commission.

State law is clear. First you file the SEI; then you take the oath of office.

Each filed her SEI on December 4, 2018. Neither Amelia McKie nor Teresa Holmes has taken the oath of office since filing her SEI. To become a full-fledged, bonafide, legitimate member of the board, each needs now to take the oath of office.

And then there is the question of Amelia McKie's $51,750 debt to the S.C. Ethics Commission. A judgment was filed in Richland County Common Pleas Court in July 2019.

Should this "premier" School Board have a person on it who 1) has never legally taken the oath of office and 2) owes $51,750 to the S.C. Ethics Commission?

Where will the public bring that up, if not at a board meeting?