Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Georgetown Teacher hurt while breaking up fight

A Georgetown County School District teacher was hurt while trying to break up a fight between two girls.

The State newspaper published this: 

Suggestion: when a teacher sees students fighting, call a cop (or a deputy).

Let 'em fight. Don't risk your own skin and bones. You're not paid for that. Call the SRO or dial 9-1-1. Just stand by and watch them duke it out. Be a great witness.

No heroes wanted.

Sure. You'll want to help. It's not worth it. You don't get battle pay.

The wimpy response from the school district can be read in the second-to-last paragraph.

Just before I read this, I was wondering if an SRO's response to a fight or other crime in a school is reported by the Sheriff's Department as a "call for service". Does it go in the crime statistics or does it get swept under the rug.

MORE Justice was complaining a few years ago about the school-to-prison pipeline. I've got an idea how to close the pipeline. 

Tell the kiddies to stop committing crimes.

Fights in Richland 2 Schools?

What's going on in Richland 2 schools with all the fights?

Today I heard about fights at Dent Middle School. Kids roaming the halls, shoving and cursing. Seriously?

What are the Principals, Assistant Principals, teachers and SRO(s) doing about it?

Are the inmates taking over the asylum?

It's a good thing I'm not a teacher. I might make it to the end of First Period.

It's a good thing I'm not a principal. I might make it to noon on my first day.

My first-day morning's announcement would be:

"This is the first day of the rest of your life. No more cursing, rudeness, pushing, shoving, throwing things. No more chaos and bullying. No more weapons at school. If you "made a mistake" and brought a weapon today, bring it to the office. Now. Surrendering it voluntarily means you can go back to class.

"Otherwise, you're going to get expelled and go to jail. This is your choice. You have one minute to make it.

"You are here to learn. We will teach you, and you will learn.

"If you don't want to be here, walk out now. If you want this to be a school-to-prison pipeline, we will arrange that. Choose wisely."

Holmes Misreports Vote on Consent Agenda

When the board voted on the Consent Agenda, the electronic vote was displayed as 6 Yes, 1 Abstain (McFadden). .

Teresa read the vote as "Motion passes. One (1) No. Six (6) Yes. Moving on to Public Participation." 
There was an inaudible objection from Teresa's left. Then Teresa said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. McFadden. I didn't see that. Thank you."

Teresa failed to read the correct vote aloud. The correct vote was
Yes 6
No  0
Abstain 1 (McFadden)

What's going on with Teresa that she can't even read a projected screen correctly?


See videorecording at 1:27:34
(Click to enlarge)








Fireworks from the Top - 12/14/21

It didn't take long for the board meeting last night (12/14/2021) to disintegrate into disorder. 

Facemask-less Teresa Holmes gaveled the meeting to order (4:53) with five raps of the gavel. One would have been enough.

If you were there when the public meeting re-convened, as I was, you saw it live. The board was late in re-convening. When it did, it didn't take long at all for the bickering to resume.

If you weren't there, you can waste a big part of your day by watching the recorded version at livestream.com/richland2  The recorded version at 04:53 on the timer. Notice the duration of the meeting shown in the lower-left corner: 5:16:08. That's FIVE HOURS, SIXTEEN MINUTES, 8 SECONDS (including the executive session).

Don't miss Teresa's rings. You would definitely not want to run into her in a dark alley late at night. South Carolina has a law against brass knuckles. I wonder if those silver rings she wears would be considered weapons. They look dangerous to me!

Of course, I couldn't see them from the Back Forty, to which the audience is related during meetings. Going to a board meeting in-person is like sitting in the nose-bleed section of a football game.

Notice how Teresa can't even get the words right after asking for discussion, after the motion to go into executive session is seconded. She says, "Seeing [sic] none, we'll take a hand vote."  Question: How do you "see" discussion???

The vote to go into executive session was 6-0-1. Trustee McFadden abstained from the vote. Early warning, folks. Stay tuned for the action! Late in the meeting there will be an important message from Mrs. McFadden.

Do you detect anything about Teresa's attitude as the meeting starts. If you don't see it yet (as you watch the beginning of the meeting), you'll recognize it on the recording and see it when the public meeting re-convenes.

When you see the rest of the meeting, you will see why Teresa Holmes has to go. Not only is she an illegitimate member of the board, having never taken the oath of office legally, she is fully into Power Mode as she attempts to conduct a meeting.

At 1:16:45 on the recorded broadcast, the public meeting shows the seated board. McKie makes a motion regarding the ending of the executive session. Teresa halts the motion because she is not logged in. Why not? Why didn't she do that upon sitting down, so that she would be ready to go? Teresa announced that the hand vote was "Unanimous". Was it?

NOTICE THAT TERESA IS NOT WEARING HER FACE SHIELD!!! 

(Watch what happens later in the meeting when Trustee Agostini tries to introduce an agenda item to remove the face mask requirement.)

At 1:17:51 McKie introduced the Inspirational Moment, which was a "saxophone choir" from Richland Northeast High School. At 1:19:25 they began to play. The Inspirational Moment was over at 1:22:24. They played; there was nothing inspirational about it at all. (It sounded better in-person than on the recording.) Frankly, McKie's verbosity is sickening. Is she auditioning for a prize at Toastmasters?

At 1:23:30 McKie asked all to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. BUT THERE WAS NO FLAG IN THE ROOM. The superintendent apologized for the room set-up error after the Pledge.

At 1:24:37 approval of the night's agenda was asked. Here come the Fireworks!

Trustee Agostini asked why the Resolution for Parents' Rights was not on the agenda, as it had been submitted last Thursday (three days before the meeting, as required in Board Policy). Teresa stated that her question would not appropriate for that part of the meeting, but it could be addressed at a later time. Trustee Agostini called a Point-of-Order. Teresa ignored the Point-of-Order and kept talking. Mrs. Agostini repeated "Point-of-Order". Teresa said, "Let's move ... any other discussion on that?" Mrs. Agostini said it is appropriate, because the board is considering the approval of the night's agenda.

Teresa completed ignored Robert's Rules of Order. If a chair does not rule that a Pont-of-Order is "well-taken", then the board must vote. Teresa either does not know that or knows it and ignores it. Watch Teresa's smug expression during the electronic voting. Be sure to read the Minutes of this meeting to see whether the recording secretary included Agostini's Point-of-Order.

This was the first time in this meeting that Teresa "ran over" another trustee.

The vote to approve the Agenda was  5-1-1; i.e., 5 in favor; 1 No (Agostini)-1 Abstain (McFadden).

FOUR HOURS !!! + Executive Session

Last night's Richland 2 School Board meeting ran for FOUR HOURS, from its scheduled starting time of 6:30PM until after 10:30PM.

There is no excuse whatsoever for such a length of a regular board meeting. And that was in addition to a one-hour executive session from 5:30-6:30PM. 

The board demonstrated discourtesy to the public by 1) not being ready to start the re-convened public session at 6:30PM and by failing to apologize to the public for the delay. They seemed in no hurry to take their seats in the meeting room after the executive session.

A single ray of sunshine, though. Projected on the screen during the executive session was a message that hearing-assistance devices would be available at the A/V desk. Only if you signed your life away, but they were available. The audio in the room did seem to be louder last night, without a device. I used a device, and it helps. Next time I'll take my own earbuds.

Back to the length of the meeting. The meeting agenda is planned by the superintendent and the board chair. THEY are the ones responsible for the length of the meeting. So that's Baron Davis and Teresa Holmes who should learn some lessons about creating an agenda for a meeting of a reasonable length.

Ever since Craig Plank was board chair, meetings have gotten longer and longer. I think last night's meeting set a record!