R2 Board insults community, teachers, students

At last Tuesday's school board meeting, the board considered and approved a resolution regarding Winter Break.

What a complete waste of time. There was administrative time wasted in preparing it; the attorney for the District probably looked at it to get all the WHEREAS's right, and today it was sent out.

Winter Break (Christmas break) has been on the school calendar since the day it was approved months ago.

Do we really need Big Brother telling us to relax and have a good time?

Following is the message from the school district and the resolution. If you agree it was a waste of time and taxaper money, please sound off to the school board and the superintendent. The email addresses for the school board can be found here: https://www.richland2.org/School-Board/Members  (If you wonder why Trustee Scott and trustee-elect Holmes use personal email addresses, ask the Board; they should only be using @richland2.org email addresses for official business.) 

The superintendent's email address is superintendent@richland2.org 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

December 17, 2021

 

RICHLAND TWO BOARD OF TRUSTEES ENCOURAGES STUDENT AND EMPLOYEES TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR TIME OFF DURING WINTER BREAK

COLUMBIA, S.C. — At the December 14, 2021 meeting, the Richland Two Board of Trustees passed a resolution encouraging students and employees to prioritize investing in their own personal mental and emotional wellbeing during Winter Break.

Board Chair Dr. Teresa Holmes said, “As an educator for more than 30 years, I know the value of Winter Break every school year. However, this year, possibly more than ever, the importance of this time off cannot be understated. With this resolution, which was the idea of Board Vice Chair James Manning, we hope to convey to our employees and students that the Richland Two School Board recognizes how hard they have worked since school started back in August. In the face of all of the challenges the pandemic continues to throw at them, their premier dedication to the district’s Core Values of Learning, Character, Community and Joy led to Richland Two being named the District of the Year by K-12 Dive.”

In the resolution, the Board is publicly encouraging that no non-essential assignments be given to students or employees over Winter Break so that the entire Richland Two family can focus on enjoying time off from school and work, investing in personal wellbeing and spending time with family and friends.

The resolution approved by the Board stated:

WHEREAS, Richland School District Two schools will close for Winter Break starting December 20, 2021.

WHEREAS, Richland Two employees and students will return to school and work on January 3, 2022.

WHEREAS, all students, teachers, school and district employees, continue to demonstrate a premier dedication to the district’s Four Core Values of Learning, Character, Community and Joy in the midst of a pandemic that has altered life in countless ways.

WHEREAS, the pathway to success requires time to focus on doing the work, it also requires that students and employees take time to focus on investing in their own personal mental and emotional wellbeing.

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, the Richland School District Two Board of Trustees, by this resolution, strongly encourages no non-essential assignments be given to students or employees over Winter Break that would take time away from enjoying time off from school and work, investing in personal wellbeing and spending time with family and friends.

Adopted this 14th day of December, 2021.