What will Holmes learn?

The lesson for Teresa Holmes from tonight's board meeting is that she is not the Queen of the board. She doesn't get to rule by fiat. She is only one vote when it comes time to vote. 

And vote the board must. She mis-used her authority tonight to shut off other board members who wanted to speak. She didn't listen to the other board members, because she was thinking about how she was going to get her own way.

Watch the replay of the meeting and you see where she gets lost and doesn't know what to do next.

She was elected as board chair at the end of June, and the board could hold another election at any time and elect someone else to be chair. There are really only two good choices: Lindsay Agostini and Monica Scott. 

As a matter of fact, they should hold another election, since Holmes isn't even a legitimate board member.

I wonder what the new Legal Counsel for the District would say, if asked to state the legality of Holmes and McKie being on the board.

Would she make a decision based on the law, or would she make a decision that will preserve her job? And right there is the reason for the school district NOT to have its own, in-house, legal counsel. 

But that's a topic for another article.

Does Holmes have the integrity and the humility to learn from tonight's mistakes?

The ONLY Apology Needed....

The ONLY apology needed at tonight's school board meeting was for Teresa Holmes to admit that she doesn't have a clue how to run a board meeting. SHE is the one whose apology was needed.

Caution-Parker should apologize for referring to the walk-out by Trustees Agostini, Scott and McFadden as "stupid and ignorant".

There was an attempt to ram through an amendment to the superintendent's contract. One trustee mentioned a "raise", so apparently the superintendent was seeking more money on top of the huge raise he got last year.

The fiasco began when the board needed to approve tonight's agenda. There was a motion and second. During discussion Mrs. Agostini wanted to put the vote on the superintendent's contract off to the next meeting.

This is where Teresa Holmes clearly demonstrated her lack of leadership and organizational skills. She tried to dismiss it. She refused to understand that, when Mrs. Agostini made her motion to amend the primary motion to approve the agenda, there should have been a second, then discussion, then a vote.

Monica Scott got up and left the meeting, leaving six in attendance.

Then Lindsay Agostini got up and left, leaving five.

Lashonda McFadden attempted to speak, and Holmes would not recognize her. When Holmes finally recognized her, Mrs. McFadden gave a very clear statement, and then she left. When she left, that meant a quorum no longer existed and business had to stop.

You MUST watch this meeting, which is only 35 minutes long. Go to www.livestream.com/Richland2 and select the video for today's date, September 14, 2021.

Even then Holmes tried to continue. Finally the superintendent explained all they could do was adjourn.

And even then Holmes continued.

Manning tried to shore things up, but Holmes was WRONG. The worst part is that she didn't even know she was wrong. 

The only apology needed tonight was for Holmes to state that her inexperience and lack of leadership skills were the direct cause of what happened. She should have allowed Agostini's secondary motion to continue. The Squad probably would have voted it down, but the meeting would have continued.

The only way to stop a vote on the superintendent's raise was for three board members to walk out. And walk out they did. 

Bravo and kudos to Mrs. Agostini, Ms. Scott and Mrs. McFadden!!! They are the only three worthy of being on the board!

WHO Has Ultimate Responsbility???

 Well, lookee what has shown up in the Agenda for the September 14, 2021 school board meeting. 

When I first looked at the agenda last week, I didn't spot this Resolution. So today, Tuesday, I wonder when it was added. It's possible I just didn't see it. Richland 2 School District never identifies an amended agenda. If the District published this agenda with the Resolution after 5:30PM yesterday, then they violated the S.C. Freedom of Information Act, which requires at least 24 hours' notice.

If you want your blood to boil, read carefully the sixth Whereas: "WHEREAS, local school boards and superintendents, who ultimately bear the responsibility for the well-being of students ..."

Seriously? Who do these people think they are? This is Socialism at its best (worst). NO, IT IS THE PARENTS WHO BEAR THE ULTIMATE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE WELL-BEING OF STUDENTS (THEIR CHILDREN).

Parents must push back on the woke members of the school board and the superintendent!!!

Here's the Resolution, as it appears in the Agenda for tonight's board meeting. Who authorized the legal cost of developing that Resolution? How much did it cost? $1,000? $2,500? The school board should have discussed that first, decided on it, and then authorized the superintendent to get it prepared? Did the superintendent do it on his own? Did the board chair, who is not even legally the board chair, okay it?

Also, notice the absence of an Attestation clause, in which the Secretary attests to the signatures. McKie can't legally do that, because she too is not a legal member of the board and not the legitimate Secretary of the Board.  McKie, of course, won't have the same ethical problem that a previous Secretary had, when that Secretary refused to attest to the legitimacy of the then-board chair (who happened to be McKie).

A RESOLUTION OF THE RICHLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT TWO BOARD OF TRUSTEES URGING THE SOUTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO REPEAL 2021-2022 BUDGET PROVISO 1.108 

WHEREAS, South Carolina is among the top 10 states in the nation having the highest number of COVID-19 cases per capita, averaging 5,500 cases a day; and 

WHEREAS, the South Carolina Children’s Hospitals Collaborative recently stated that the number of children ages 0 - 17 in the state requiring hospitalization, including critical, for COVID-19 is rising at an alarming rate; and 

WHEREAS, in Richland School District Two the number of students and staff who have tested positive so far this school year is more than 650, which has resulted in the quarantine of more than 1,860 students and staff; and, 

WHEREAS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends universal indoor masking by all students (age 2 and older), staff, teachers, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status; and, 

WHEREAS, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) strongly recommends universal mask wearing for teachers, staff, and parents in schools; and, 

WHEREAS, local school boards and superintendents, who ultimately bear the responsibility for the well-being of students and staff need flexibility – not limitations – when carefully weighing health and safety guidance at the local, state and federal levels to make decisions for the students and staff in their communities; and, 

WHEREAS, local school district leaders are best positioned to monitor and modify safety protocols and make the best decisions to keep students and employees safe; and, 

WHEREAS, mitigation measures are vitally important to maintain in-person, full time education to ensure students do not fall behind scholastically or socially; and, 

WHEREAS, Proviso 1.108 serves as a barrier for school district leaders to consider every recommended mitigation measure available for the protection of the health and safety of students and staff. 

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Richland School District Two Board of Trustees, by this resolution, strongly urges members of the South Carolina General Assembly to reconvene immediately and repeal Proviso 1.108. 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution are being furnished to members of the Richland County Legislative Delegation and communicated to our parents, businesses and school supporters. Adopted this 14th day of September, 2021 

________________________ Board Member ________________________ Board Member ________________________ Board Member ________________________ Board Member ________________________ Board Member ________________________ Board Member ________________________ Chairman