Saturday, October 2, 2021

Is Vax Compliance Coming?

Read this article about a State of Virginia Library employee who chose not to comply with Virginia's vax-passport-or-weekly-COVID-test requirement.

Czar Northam ruled in September, and the library employee saw the handwriting on the wall.

What will Richland 2 teachers and staff do, if the superintendent decides to follow Northam down the rabbit hole?

If 2,000 teachers didn't show up on Monday, would the school board notice? Would it give the superintendent a bigger raise for making a "tough decision"?

Or would the superintendent think, "Maybe I made the wrong decision."

Would the board (meaning "The Four" (the majority, who rule)) ever admit to making a wrong decision?

One Question Each for Holmes and McKie

ARTICLE 11
Disclosure of Economic Interests
SECTION 8-13-1110. Persons required to file statement of economic interests.

(A) No public official, regardless of compensation, and no public member or public employee as designated in subsection (B) may take the oath of office or enter upon his official responsibilities unless he has filed a statement of economic interests in accordance with the provisions of this chapter with the appropriate supervisory office...  [Emphasis added] 

On November 13, 2018 both Holmes and McKie took the oath of office. A signed and notarized document was filed with the South Carolina Secretary of State.

On December 4, 2018 both Holmes and McKie filed Statements of Economic Interests with the South Carolina Ethics Commission.

QUESTION - Did Teresa Holmes file her Statement of Economic Interests before taking the oath of officve or entering upon her official responsibilities?  Yes   No

QUESTION - Did  Amelia McKie file her Statement of Economic Interests before taking the oath of officve or entering upon her official responsibilities?  Yes   No

A truthful answer of "No" means that neither is a legitimate member of the Richland 2 school board.

Comments?

Threats to any R2 board members?

When I noticed one Richland 2 board member being escorted to her car after a board meeting recently, I wondered whether she had received any threats.

Then the superintendent informed another man and me before the last board meeting (9/28/21) that the same board member felt "intimidated" by both of us.

I told the superintendent that was "foolish".

I don't speak for the other man, but I would not hesitate to defend any board member, including the two trustees-elect who are not legitimate board members, if I saw they were being intimidated, harassed or otherwise attacked by anyone!

Having said that, if a public official feels intimidated by statements made that oppose their official or personal views, then they should consult with a good psychologist. Hearing opposing views goes with the territory of being an elected official.

But NO public official should be threatened or harmed. 

Nor should a public official threaten to sue a member of the public with whom she doesn't agree. Nor should a public official make false statements to a law-enforcement agency about a member of the public. Nor should a public official "block" communications from a member of the public. Nor should any public official invoke religion while addressing a member of the public.

If I sent an email such as the one I recently received, which I read to the Richland 2 school board last week (September 28, 2021), I would expect to be sued for defamation. However, I won't be suing that person. 

I shall, however, continue efforts to get that person removed from the board. She has never become a legitimate member of the Richland 2 school board, because she has never taken the oath of office legally.

In March 2019 I addressed the board and told them that this issue would not go away until Holmes and McKie took the oath of office legally. That was about 928 days ago.

Holmes claimed she was "qualified" for the office. Certainly, she was. However, on the date when the oath of office was administered (November 13, 2018), she was not eligible to take it. She had not filed her Statement of Economic Interests with the S.C. Ethics Commission. She did not become eligible to take the oath until December 4, 2018. Holmes has not taken an oath since November 13, 2018. Because of this, Holmes is usurping public office.

So is Amelia McKie. 

But those two aren't whom the superintendent claimed to feel intimidated by Gary and me.

Parent Protests - Domestic Terrorism?

Upon re-reading the article here about the National School Boards Association (NSBA) accusing protesting parents as "domestic terrorists", I must ask, Do we still live in the United States of America or  has the Peoples' Republic of China taken over?

We must now learn from the Richland Two school board exactly what their position is on the effort by the NSBA to silence parents.

The Richland Two School Board is a member of the South Carolina School Boards Assn. (SCSBA)

The South Carolina School Boards Assn. is a member of the National School Boards Assn.

Where does the Richland Two school board stand on the NSBA request to the Biden Administration.

Where does the SCSBA stand?

Let's get a clear statement from Richland Two as to whether it supports or opposes the characterization of opposition to Critical Race Theory and COVID-19 restrictions (including mask mandates) as "domestic terrorism", and ask the Richland Two school board where the SCSBA stands. Does it support the NSBA request?

Address your request for clarification to the full school board and superintendent. Request a discussion at the next board meeting on October 12. Email addresses can be found at www.richland2.org/School-Board/Members

For your convenience, the email addresses for the board members (and the two trustees-elect) and the superintendent are 
docholmesschoolboard2@gmail.com, jamesmanning@richland2.org, ameliamckie@richland2.org, lindsayagostini@richland2.org, puttingstudentsfirst2012@gmail.com, lashondamcfadden@richland2.org, cherylcautionparker@richland2.org, badavis@richland2.org, 

The following email is being sent to the school board and the superintendent:


Board Members, trustees-elect Holmes and McKie, and Superintendent,

I request the following topic be placed on the agenda of the October 12, 2021 School Board Regular Meeting: Discussion of the request to the Biden Administration by the National Schools Boards Association (NSBA) to declare parents protesting against Critical Race Theory and the COVID-19 restrictions as domestic terrorists. Clear, unambiguous statement by the Richland Two School Board of its position on the NSBA request and of its own position on that request. Preparation of a Resolution to the South Carolina School Boards Association condemning the NSBA request to the Biden Administration.

If this item will not be placed on the October 12, 2021 Agenda, I request a reply by email from the District stating the position of Richland Two on the request of the NSBA to the Biden Administration described above.

I request a report from the Richland 2 delegates to the SCSBA on the SCSBA's position on the NSBA request to the Biden Administration.

Sincerely,
Gus Philpott
847.971.7083