Is Board paid for Committee meetings?

Will Richland 2 board members be paid for attending meetings of the Committee of the Whole ("Committee") that was approved on April 28, 2022?

Board members (and two trustees-elect) receive a per diem for board meetings (six members receive $340(?) per meeting; the Chair receives $400).

(All) board members can, but are not required, to attend meetings of the Committee. If they do attend, do they get paid?

How can the Committee meet without being considered a Board Meeting? If four board members show up, that's a quorum and it becomes an official meeting requiring (24-hour advance) Notice, Agenda, Minutes, etc.

Should they be paid for the April 28th special-called board meeting? It was announced as a board meeting.

It should have been announced as a meeting of the Committee of the Whole.

Why wasn't it? One reason is they probably couldn't have met in executive session. Had they met in the open, the public (those attending in person and those viewing on livestream.com/richland2)would have been privy to every word said and all the body-language "statements" of those board members attending.

Who Blew Past Her Travel/Training Allowance?

The members of the Richland 2 school board have an annual allowance for travel, training and other expenses. I don't know the actual amount, but I've heard that it is $7,000 per School Year. The School Year ends June 30.

It's easy arithmetic to calculate the total budgeted amount. 7 x $7,000 = $49,000 (assuming each receives the same dollar amount)

Some trustees have not yet spent their allocated amount. HOWEVER, the total has already been exceeded. If you could follow the confusing discussion on Tuesday night, April 26, 2022, the superintendent doesn't intend to reimburse any trustees now, because the total has been exceeded. He claims it will take board approval for him to pay more. WRONG. And he doesn't want to reveal who blew past her allowance. WRONG.

You'll never persuade me that he doesn't know who blew up her budgeted amount. Or whether more than one trustee did.

How did a trustee (or trustee-elect) get reimbursed in excess of her allocation?

Somebody (well below the superintendent's own office) must be charged with examining and approving expense payments or reimbursements. WHO approved more than a trustee was eligible to receive? And who told that person to approve and pay it?

I don't know what the Reimbursement (or Request) Form looks like, but somewhere on the page should be these lines:

Amount Available:                   $______

This Request:                         - $______

Remaining Amount Available: $______ (cannot be less than 0)

A calculator shouldn't even be necessary for that simple subtraction.

The District should immediately recover over-payments made to any trustees (or trustees-elect).

The problem with yesterday's Motion for exec. session

After the April 28, 2022 special-called board meeting convened and the agenda was approved, the Chair stated what that day's (she called it "night's" meeting; it started at 4:30PM) meeting was to be about.

Holmes said she wanted to "make a little clarity to the public" about the meeting. 

What in the world does that mean? "make a little clarity to the public"? Those are the words of a 35-year educator who is head of a board of trustees managing a business with a $300,000,000 annual budget. Seriously?

Holmes said they had to go through that meeting first, so that they could get to the public forum that they planned to have. 

No, they didn't have to go through that meeting first to "get to the public forum". It was what they chose to do. 

What "public forum"? The Committee had not yet decided on any public forum. The Committee hadn't even met yet! 

Then Holmes said they had to do this (meeting) first, before they went into private things of having people come in ...

What "private things"? There aren't going to be any "private things". This is a public body!

Then Holmes called for a motion to go into executive session.

Trustee-elect McKie made the motion: (livestream.com/richland2 at 06:45) "I move to convene in executive session for the purpose of a safety and security meeting." The motion was seconded by Trustee Agostini. The motion was approved by a hand-vote of 7-0. 

Was the executive session legal?

McKie said the purpose was "a safety and security meeting". No, the purpose was not a safety and security meeting. Holmes had just explained that the purpose was to establish how the Committee of the Whole ("Committee") would conduct its business (my words; not hers).

Setting the purpose and scope of the Committee is not an eligible exclusion for leaving public session and entering executive (private, secret) session. 

If the board members intended to discuss school safety and security, that is an eligible exclusion for which the board could enter executive session and met out of the public view. But that's not why they were meeting.

Are Minutes kept of executive sessions? While those Minutes would not normally be available to the public, a judge could order them to be available in camera.

Unfortunately, in South Carolina the only way to hold a public body (ex., a school board) accountable for violation of the State's Freedom of Information Act is to haul them into court. 

The District's in-house legal counsel is not going to do that. The SCSBA is not going to do that. The County Council is not going to do that. Our State Rep and State Senator will not do that. Will a member of the public fork over his own money to hire an attorney and force Richland 2 into court?

4/28/22 Meeting - Illegal Executive Session?

Wrong explanation, Teresa.

The April 28, 2022 board meeting was broadcast on livestream.com/richland2  After the board meeting was called to order at 4:30PM, instead of just calling for the motion to go into executive session, Teresa Holmes gave an explanation of the meeting. She gave a misleading one, at that.

Holmes said, "Let me take a point-of-order here. (Wrong term; she meant point of personal privilege which she, as chair, did not even need to claim). I want to make a little clarity to the public tonight. This meeting is the way that we have to get to the public forum that we do plan to have later on. We have to go through committee first, which is what we are doing tonight, and then we'll talk about the things that we want to do. Dr. Davis and I will come back out later after and give a little brief update. I want the public to understand that this is the process that we have to go through first, before we go into private things of having people come in and however we are going to format that."

Then a motion to go into executive session was made and seconded, and off they went.

Did the Board hold an illegal executive session tonight?

After I wrote the above, I began thinking more about Executive Sessions. The reasons proscribed in State law that allow a public body to meet in secret are very limited. These can be read in the South Carolina Code of Laws, Title 30 Public Records, Chapter 4 Freedom of Information Act. Specifically, see 30-4-70.

Forming a Committee and discussing rules by which a committee might operate is not eligible for meeting out of public sight. They won't be discussing specific steps to improving safety and security. 

When Holmes said that they had to met in private to set the rules, she was wrong. Did they ask the in-house general counsel for a green light on that? Would that attorney, who is an employee of the District and who reports directly to the superintendent, say, "No, you can't do that"?

And then, when she said Dr. Davis and she would come out and give an update, did she mean they would disclose what was talked about in executive session? Somewhere, in all the fine print of the statute, I think it says that no one can talk in public about what was discussed in executive session. That point has been made very clear in previous board meetings.

The meeting re-convened on livestream.com/richland2 at 1:25:28.

What was the promised "little brief update"? Holmes said, "We appreciate you tonight. We covered a lot of ground. Parents, we want you to know we hear you. We're doing the work. We're doing the work to make sure that your children are safe." 

That's an update? Was anyone there in person who stuck around to the end to hear that?

At that point Manning enters the board room and takes his seat. Apparently, Trustee McFadden had departed.

Then trustee-elect McKie made a motion was made to come out of executive session.

And then Holmes forgot to ask for a motion to adjourn. After being prompted by the superintendent, Holmes asked for motion to adjourn. Why does she have such a hard time keeping her head in the game?

If that was an illegal executive session, any trustee can talk about it.

Which board member(s) blew past her Travel Allowance?

In the Draft Agenda portion of the April 26, 2022 board meeting, there was total chaos. What should have taken less than five minutes took over 30 minutes.

Start listening at 3:03:43 on livestream.com/richland2 when Trustee Agostini wants a report on each board member's expenditures for travel and training.

The Board Chair totally lost control of the meeting (if she ever had it, to begin with). 

The superintendent "feels uncomfortable" with sharing "anyone's personal financial use of funds" for travel and training with other board members. (3:26:20)

WHOA!!! Those aren't "personal financial funds". That's taxpayer money. That's public money. That's public information. What's up with his "feels uncomfortable"???

Trustee McFadden wanted to transfer some of her unused individual allowance to Trustee Scott, but she could not because the board has apparently gone over its total allowance for travel.

Finally the discussion got around to the impossibility that the total could have been exceeded, if Mrs. McFadden still had money in her account.

Rather than just saying that Trustee A and/or Trustee B overspent (without prior board consent), the superintendent beat around the bush. It was Classic Run-around.

Finally the superintendent stated that he should have done a better job at monitoring board member travel spending.

This is an EASY FIX. Just bill the board member(s) for the excess. Take it out of her next per diem check, until the amount is recaptured. What payroll clerk or travel reimbursement clerk failed to catch the over-expenditure? 

I'd be pretty sure that a clerk informed a supervisor, who should have informed a manager, who should have informed an administrator, who should have informed the superintendent. How far up the food chain did the notice go that one or more trustees blew through the budget cap on her individual spending allowance?

The superintendent admitted that there are board members who surpassed their travel allocations. (3:31:45) He said he should have been following each request for travel. ABSOLUTELY NOT. That's the job of a clerk, way down in the bowels of the Accounting Department.

WHO OVER-SPENT? I'll bet he knew and wouldn't say!

I'll be finding out. I shall file a FOIA request today for that information.

Chair bullies Trustee during Committee Creation

Be sure to view the portion of the April 26, 2022 Board meeting when they attempt to create a Committee for Safety and Security. Go to livestream.com/Richland2 and pull the timer ribbon forward to 2:01:20.

The Board and the public had just listened to Teresa Holmes struggle to read the Update on Executive Coaching, and then Holmes began to call the same item as the next item, before realizing they had just "done that". 

There was no need to ask the superintendent to explain what they were about to do, but Holmes did. The superintendent said that a motion would be needed, a second, and approval. The chair asked for a motion, but then recognized Trustee McFadden, who had questions. Holmes said "we" want everyone's opinion (all the board members) and "we" want the community's opinion(s).

Then trustee-elect McKie made a motion to "implement" the committee. When the Chair asked for a second, Trustee Manning requested recognition. NOTE: The motion had not yet been seconded!

Manning proposed a change in name of the Committee. McKie agreed to the change. McFadden commented. Then McKie spoke without being recognized and tried to explain what Manning meant. WHAT? Lots of discussion, but the Motion still had not been seconded!

When Holmes asked again for a Second, Manning withdrew his request. Manning stated that the motion had been made and seconded, but it had not been seconded!

Then Holmes asked McKie to state the motion, so that the recording secretary would be clear on the motion. McKie restated the motion. Holmes said, "And Mr. Manning has already seconded that." But Manning had not seconded it.

There was more discussion. Trustee Agostini asked who would sit on the committee. Holmes said everyone on the board was invited to sit on the committee. Agostini asked about community involvement. Holmes said, "When we have a meeting here, there is always public participation." Then Holmes proceeded to lecture Trustee. (2:06:20) Agostini asked about the goals of the committee. Holmes interrupted Agostini more than once.

This whole discussion would be a Parliamentarian's nightmare!!! This is exactly what Holmes had just read in the Update on Executive Coaching. Fifteen minutes later it has all been forgotten.

Holmes said the committee would find out what the community would like. Listen to Holmes' snarky and demeaning manner toward Trustee Agostini. Agostini asked if the community would be invited into Executive Session to express their concerns. Holmes asked McKie to respond. BAD MOVE. Who put McKie in charge? This whole thing was a set-up. It was decided before the board ever got to this meeting. Obviously, Holmes, Manning and McKie knew what was going on. At this point Caution-Parker hasn't spoken up.

McKie proceeded with a class in Board Meetings 101 and mentioned that the public can be at any board meeting. Tell us something we don't know! 

Trustee McFadden had questions, and Holmes interrupted her. Notice on the screen that Dr. Cheryl. Caution. Parker. has her arms crossed over her chest and has turned her chair around to face away from McFadden and Holmes. Her body language is speaking SO LOUDLY (2:08:51). Holmes says to McFadden, "I'm trying to figure out what the ... (I was ready for "the word") what the hold-up (is)."

After more comments from Trustee McFadden, Holmes called on the superintendent. He said that typically the public won't be at meetings of the Committee of the Whole, but a "resident expert" might be invited in. 

When a question is asked of the superintendent, somebody should start a timer. After 2 minutes, ding-ding-ding. If you ask him what time it is, about 20 minutes later you will have heard how the sundial was invented, but you still won't know what time it is.

Trustee McFadden wants the community involved in planning how the community is going to solve the gun-violence problem. Based on the superintendent's explanation, the "community" will not be involved.

The superintendent further explained that the Committee of the Whole could decide to have the community involved and sponsor a forum, which is what Trustee McFadden wants. The purpose of the committee is to come back to the board with a report and not to take action. 

McFadden made a few more comments, and then Holmes lectured her further, repeating and repeating and repeating. (NOTE: Holmes had just a few minutes earlier read Liz Ethridge's Executive Coaching suggestion, "Say it one time." Just words. Just meaningless words. But say them over and over.

Trustee Scott (2:21:50) asked a question about the number of allotted meetings of board members. 

Then Manning was recognized, but he said by that time he had forgotten what he was going to talk about. But that didn't stop him. Then he remembered that he was going to say that they could meet more than 30 times but could get per diem (i.e., get paid) for more than 30 meetings. 

The vote to "implement" a committee was 7-0.

While the voting was in progress, McKie (2:26:20) was recognized by the Chair and made an extraneous and unnecessary comment. Trustee Agostini called a Point-of-Order. Without discussion the Chair allowed McKie to continue. That was WRONG. McKie's comment did not need to interrupt the voting and should have been held until after the voting result was announced. 

The next item was called at 2:27:15. WHEW! That took 26 minutes to cover a 2-minute approval. What nonsense!!!

Tomorrow's Special-Called Meeting - No Open Meeting

When Teresa Holmes announced the Special-Called Board Meeting for tomorrow, Thursday, April 28th, at 4:30PM at R2i2, she did NOT inform you that the only item on the agenda would be an Executive Session. She was so serious about addressing gun violence and guns in schools; right?

If they haven't come up with the answers so far, what do they think they are going to accomplish without more help; for example, the community, parents, teachers, staff. 

Yes, it's a public meeting. The public part will be the 30 seconds after the meeting is called to order at 4:30PM.

Then the board will scoot off for a private meeting, after which they will return to the boardroom and publicly adjourn.

DO NOT SHOW UP TOMORROW, unless you want to be disappointed.

What Will S.203 Mean for Richland 2?

Signed into law by Gov. McMaster on April 25, 2022.

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 59-19-60, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE REMOVAL OF SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEES AND FILLING OF TRUSTEE VACANCIES, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE GOVERNOR MAY REMOVE TRUSTEES IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES, TO PROVIDE THE GOVERNOR MAY FILL TRUSTEE VACANCIES, TO PROVIDE NOTICE AND HEARING REQUIREMENTS, AND TO DELETE EXISTING PROVISIONS CONCERNING TRUSTEE REMOVAL AND FILLING OF VACANCIES BY SCHOOL BOARDS.

What does this new law mean for the Richland 2 school board?

Not much information is available today on the State legislature's website. A note reads:

THIS IS A TEMPORARY VERSION. THIS DOCUMENT WILL REMAIN IN THIS VERSION UNTIL FINAL APPROVAL BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

But I recall some of the reasons the Governor can use to remove a school board trustee. Misfeasance. Malfeasance. 

Does he just have to believe that such conduct took place? How will he decide? What "proof", if any, will he need or want?

For more than three years I have been decrying the fact (FACT) that the Richland 2 school board has been operating with two illegitimate members. Teresa Holmes and Amelia McKie have never taken the oath-of-office legally.

They were duly elected on November 6, 2018.

An oath-of-office was administered to them on November 13, 2018; however, neither was eligible to take the oath on that date.

Each first became eligible to take the oath-of-office on December 4, 2018, after filing her Statement of Economic Intrerests Report with the South Carolina Ethics Commission.

Neither has taken the oath-of-office since December 4, 2018.

Thus, neither is a legitimate board member.

What would happen, if Governor McMaster removed Holmes and McKie?

That would leave Agostini, Scott, McFadden, Caution-Parker, and Manning. Now look at the balance! Three Conservatives. Two Liberals. How would those five have voted last night?

The vote clearly would have been in Gary Ginn's favor. And I would ask for an immediate re-hearing, and they'd vote in my favor. Agostini, Scott and McFadden know that what happened to Ginn and me on January 25th was wrong. The vote would 3-2 in our favor. Hear that, Caution-Parker and Manning?

Would the Governor appoint successors for Holmes and McKie? Or would the Governor tell the remaining five trustees to appoint the successors? Or would the Richland County Council appoint? Or would the Richland County Elections Commission have to conduct a special election? 

Either way, there is a good chance that more-conservative members would join the board, whether appointed by the Governor or the remaining five board members.

Can the refusal by Holmes and McKie to take the oath-of-office legally be considered misfeasance or malfeasance? Where is my legal dictionary?

Hear that train late last night?

Did you hear that freight train roll through Richland Two late last night?

Gary Ginn's grievance was heard in the second executive session of the Richland 2 school board last night. As anticipated, his appeal to the board was denied.

The public missed all the antics. It's certainly too bad that his grievance wasn't conducted in full view of the public. He and I have not talked about that. But it was what I wanted for mine, and I bet a box of Dunkin' Donuts that he wanted it in public, too.

As was the case with my grievance, Gary also was denied access to ALL Richland 2 property and was prohibited from attending the hearing on his own grievance. Tell me again how it is fair that a person is denied his opportunity to face his accusers.

What you can view is the hanging. Errr, the board's vote on the matter they had just considered. That part of the livestream.com/richland2 video begins at 4:43:13. Previously, it was possible to capture just that part of the video and put a link here. But the District decided, in its infinite wisdom, to restrict copying of the YouTube recording into Vibby.com.  So now, you must go to livestream.com/richland2 and pull the timer bar across the bottom of the video to 4:43:13.

Agenda Item 17.2 was Gary Ginn's grievance. When a motion was called for, Trustee Agostini moved to accept the appeal (by Ginn) and revoke the no-trespass notice. 

Notice especially the body posture and attention that Caution-Parker, McKie and Holmes give her. As Agostini speaks, Caution-Parker is turned away from her, McKie appears to be studying her lap (is she using her phone during a board meeting???), and Holmes  

When a Second is asked for, Trustee Scott begins discussion but is stopped until there is a Second, which she makes. Scott makes, then withdraws, a request for Agostini to alter her motion.

Again, watch Caution-Parker's swiveling in her chair, leaning back, and holding her folded arms across her chest. Any body-language expert can tell you very quickly what she is shouting by that posture.  

McKie is still busy with something off her desk. McKie appears to be looking at her phone in her lap.

Holmes, as usual, is not looking at Agostini and appears to be just tolerating her words until she finishes speaking. This is par for the course at board meetings.

Holmes, after waiting for Agostini to finish, asks for a Second. Trustee Scott seconds.  

As discussion starts, the camera clearly shows McKie on her phone. She is reading whatever is on her phone and not paying attention to Trustee Scott. Why not? My compliments to the camera manager for showing McKie's clear violation of Board Policy about use of phones during meetings. (I hope he doesn't get fired for having done so.)

After Trustee Agostini re-states her motion, Holmes asks for another (unnecessary) Second. Holmes says, "Second for Dr. Caution-Par... I mean, Dr. Scott."

During discussion, Trustee Scott addressed "fairness" and "doing the right thing" She stated that they were there dealing with two trespass notices (one last night and one other (mine previously, on February 22) previously)) "and nothing to other people". By that, she meant no action against Pamela Davis and Baron Davis for their actions and words on January 25th. She added, "We have to be able to walk the talk."

Look again at Caution-Parker's posture. What does that say to me? "Cut out the chatter. Let's hang 'im and get out of here."

The vote was 3-4. Agostini's motion failed. The four against Agostini's motion were Holmes, McKie, Caution-Parker, and Manning. Of course.

Then Holmes was ready to move on, but Manning reminded her they needed to vote on the grievance. (By this meeting, Holmes has been acting as the Board Chair for 9½ months and she still doesn't know procedures!) Manning moved to deny the appeal. Caution-Parker seconded. (She must be the Designated Second for any motions made by The Core Four.)

During this vote, it was hard to see what was on McKie's tablet screen, but it didn't look like District business. As McKie voted, she reached into her purse and lifted her phone in her left hand. Why is she looking at her phone again? Her car keys were on the desk. She was more than ready to leave.

The vote was 4-3. Passed. As Holmes announces the vote, McKie is looking down at her phone.

Chaos - Again!

Board meeting chaos!!

At 7:52PM I bailed out, when the superintendent began his Highlights.

The board was late starting the public session, which commenced at 6:39PM (after ending at 6:31PM, according to trustee-elect McKie's motion. Extreme discourtesy is shown to those attending in person and virtually, when the board runs late in its executive sessions without any message or apology to the public.

Once again, the Inspirational Moment was a performance, and it was not inspiring. McKie's introduction seemed more like an audition for Toastmasters. All she needed to do was introduce the Moment. Same with following the Moment. Thank those who were involved and move right into the Pledge of Allegiance.

Trustee-elect and acting Chair Holmes announced a Special-Called Board Meeting for Thursday, April 28, 2022, 4:30PM at R2i2 to address safety and security issues, in consideration of TWO guns having been confiscated at Blythewood High School this week.

Holmes lost her place several times in the agenda. Maybe she would work better with a printed agenda and then check off what has been completed. 

Holmes read Consultant Liz Guthridge's report on the two Executive Coaching sessions. Holmes couldn't even read the whole thing coherently. She stumbled many times while trying to read the report. You'd think that an educator with the 35 years' experience (to which she referred tonight) would have learned to pronounce "asks" by now; it's not "aks". The first executive session must have been a wing-dinger, based on the comments by board members after that report was read. The claws must have come out during the executive session, and they were still out. Trustees Agostini and Scott were right. Those two training sessions provided little or no value. 

Trustee Scott asked what the cost was for those "trainings". My estimate? $13,000. ($8,000 for the trainer plus $5,000 for the trustees plus staff time to prepare and set-up)  Another businessman and I watched them. Almost NO value.

Chaos reigned supreme when the Board tried to discuss forming a committee. It should have been a three-minute discussion. Instead, it went on and on, and it was clear that most on the board had no idea what the purpose of a committee is. And then Holmes made a HUGE and DISRESPECTFUL error when she referred to Christine (Christine Lewis, the Special Assistant to the School Board?) as "my girl". Ms. Lewis is NOT Holmes' "girl". She is an administrative assistant to the entire seven-member school board.

And then, as the Executive Coaching Update ended, Holmes announced it was time to move on to Item 9.1, Executive Coaching. "Oh, no. We just did that..."

McKie made several unnecessary and inappropriate comments during the first portion of the meeting, including her comment when voting on the Committee was underway. Trustee Agostini raised a Point-of-Order, but Holmes allowed McKie to continue. There's The Core Four for you. Sticking together.

Gary Ginn Grievance - TONIGHT

Do NOT miss tonight's board meeting - Tuesday, Aril 28.

When you look at the agenda, you'll see just one item in the short Executive Session that starts at 5:30PM.

BUT - look down further on the agenda for tonight's meeting and you'll see a SECOND Executive Session. That one lists a grievance to be heard. That grievance is the matter of Rihland 2 vs. Gary Ginn.

Gary is the second white man who was kicked out of the Jasnuary 25, 2022 board meeting, after Pamela Davis, wife of Supt. Baron Davis, created a disturbance prior to the beginning of the 5:30PM meeting.

The first part of the disturbance was shen she shouted at me after I introduced myself.

I was not in the board room when Pamela Davis is reported to have uttered profanities at a 14-year-old student who was seated behind her. He told me what she said to him. Ginn intervened, and Ginn told me that he was told by Marq Claxton, Safety & Security Director, that Baron Davis had told him to Trespass him (Ginn) and kick him out.

I was either in the hallway speaking (voluntarily) with a RCSD deputy, or I had already left the meeting after Claxton put me on Trespass. I was not "escorted" out of the meeting! In fact, I asked the two security officers if they were going to walk out with me.

Board Chair Teresa Holmes and Supt. Baron Davis set the agenda for board meetings. What was their planning (scheming?), when they decided to schedule Ginn's grievance after what has been the normal ending of the meeting? They certainly could have scheduled the grievance in the First Executive Session. If they thought they needed extra time, they could have started the first Executive Session at 5:00PM, instead of at 5:30PM.

Or do they think that the audience - the interested and conerned public - will not stay around until the middle of the night for the second session and the public vote on Ginn's grievance.

We all know what the decision will be. Let me predict it.

To uphold the Trespass Notice and vote against Ginn: Holmes, McKie, Caution-Parker, Manning

To vote in Ginn's favor: Agostini, Scott, McFadden

Lay in your supply of NoDoz. Don't miss it. Of course, you won't get a chance to view the fireworks that will take place IN the Executive Session, but you can watch the vote (if you can stay awake that long).

Another Gun at Blythewood High School

Today, Tuesday, April 26, another gun was confiscated from a student at Blythewood High School.

Today's suspect is a 17-year-old girl, according to one reader of this blog.

What in the world is going on at BHS?

I'm working on getting the girl's name.

I got the boy's name from yesterday's gun seizure. As soon as I can confirm it, I'll post it here. Then I'll invite comments from readers about why he would take a gun to school.

Same with the girl.

As I asked yesterday, why hasn't there been a peep out of Richland 2 about that "wonderful" Be SMART program, about which they were so excited in December?

15 y/o with gun at Blythewood H.S.

Let's hear once again from Richland 2 how well the BeSMART program is working.

Richland County Sheriff's Department took a 15-year-old boy into custody today for having a gun at school. No word yet on what kind of gun or whether it was loaded. 

And definitely no word on the 15-year-old's name. He will enjoy the privilege of privacy from The State and the local TV stations. 

If I can get the name, you'll read it here.

At least The State newspaper got the personal pronoun right (presumably). 

Remember the big hoop-de-lah last December when there was the big name-signing ceremony at R2i2?

Has anyone heard even a peep out of Richland 2 or BeSMART about all their wonderful efforts to lower gun violence in area schools?

How many Richland 2 students have been involved in gun-related incidents since December 5, 2021?

At the time, it looked to me like All Talk and No Walk. 

Has any teacher or administrator heard what Be SMART is doing?

[Edited 4/25/22 10:40PM]

Here's the print version of the telephone message that was sent out by Principal Matt Sherman:

"Hello Blythewood High Parents. This is Principal Matt Sherman.

"I am calling to let you know that this afternoon a weapon was confiscated from a student while the student was in class. This is alarming to hear so let me assure you that the situation was addressed swiftly, our employees and students are safe, and we have been able to continue with our school day without interruption.

"The teacher saw the weapon and immediately called for assistance from the School Resource Officers and school administrators. The weapon was turned over to a School Resource Officer as soon as the SRO entered the classroom without incident.

"So far in the investigation, we do not have any evidence to indicate that the student threatened to harm anyone at school.

"School administrators and our SROs followed district procedures and board policy in administering disciplinary and legal consequences. Students should never bring weapons onto school grounds and they face serious consequences when they do. In accordance with state and federal law, Richland Two Board Policy JICI states that a student who brings a weapon to school faces expulsion of no less than one year.

"Our leadership team is extremely proud of our teacher who responded quickly and of the students in the class who remained calm while the situation was addressed. Parents, I do ask for your help in stressing to our students the importance of “See Something. Say Something.” Ensuring the safety of our campus for all students and teachers requires all of us to work together to keep weapons off our campus and to alert administrators and SROs immediately whenever someone sees something that may cause harm to others.

"If you have any questions or concerns about school safety, please contact a school administrator."

She said "What?"

Don't miss the attachment in the agenda for Tuesday's board meeting, on April 26.

Remember those "Executive Coaching & Parliamentary Procedure" sessions that the board attended?

Liz Guthridge was the facilitator who was hired to try to tamp down the chaos that is the Richland 2 School Board.

You can read the attachment under Item 9 on the Agenda. You can view it by plodding through the website to the agenda, or just click right here: Update

The two workshops were "nice". They were soft. Liz must have known the problems, but she didn't get in anyone's face. They needed to be hardcore. Some heads needed to be knocked. I'm reminded of the story about the farmer who hit his mule over the head with a 2x4. When asked why, he said he had to get the mule's attention. 

Pay special attention to Page 4, on which Liz Guthridge shared an honest opinion:

(Click to enlarge)

Read that again. She writes candidly that the board (meaning, I believe, the majority - The Core Four) may not have the will to get out of high conflict and work together. With that, she hits the nail squarely on its head. 

Remember the night when Trustee Scott kept calling a Point-of-Order? Finally, Teresa turned to her and declared, "I AM the Point-of-Order at the time." She got away with it. She shouldn't have. Three Trustees should have stood and walked out.

I say, "Wait until November 10. When the shoe is on the other foot and those now in the majority find that they are no longer in the majority, they'll suffer their karmic due."

Just who do they think they are???

Just who do (some) board members think they are?

Read today's FoxNews article about a school board meeting in Sarasota County, Florida, and compare it with what you know about the Richland 2 board.

A woman "was kicked out of a board meeting for what she was 'about to say'". 

Was there a training somewhere that school members attended? Did they all learn somewhere that the People, the Public, are just there to provide the money and they'd better sit down and shut up?

Board chairwoman Jane Goodwin sounds just like our very own Teresa Holmes. Read the article here.

At how many Richland 2 board meetings have you heard Teresa Holmes say, "You can't mention names." Meeting after meeting she gets away with it. Do you know that she is WRONG?

Richland Two's Board Policy BEDH says that "The board will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints about individual school personnel or any other person connected with the school system.

If a member of the public strays into forbidden territory and mentions a name, Teresa says, "We (the royal We) don't say that." A Parliamentarian would correct her, but then the Parliamentarian would get fired. Names ARE permitted. Complaints are not. Teresa struggles with the distinction from meeting to meeting.

"(Incumbent board member) Ziegler, who is running for re-election this year, said, 'out of touch, power hungry, oftentimes very progressive, liberals' have 'overtaken school boards,' and 'grotesque' instances like these will undoubtedly impact the upcoming elections on a national scale."

Sound familiar?

We had our "grotesque" instance on January 25th, right here in Richland County. Gary Ginn and I are in "Richland 2 Jail" until July 1st.

By the way, it seems that at least one administrator has been directed not to reply to me. He is an honest, smart, ethical person. I know he would reply, if he could do so without fear of retaliation and/or retribution.

Va. Asst. Principal Sues School Board

Could it happen here?

A former assistant principal in an elementary school in Virginia is suing the school board there. 

Are you familiar with the book, Courageous Conversations about Race, by Glenn E. Singleton? The rest of the book title is A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools and Beyond. Any chance that that book has found its way to Richland County?

Wow! There is a strong clue to what the reader will find within its covers. The dreaded CRT!

Emily Mais was employed at the Agnor-Hurt Elementary School in Charlottesville, Va., which is in the Albemarle County School District. That's approximately 100 miles SSW of Loudoun County, Va., where parents have been on the warpath about Critical Race Theory for months.

Read the FoxNews article here. The headline is Former Virginia administrator sues school board, alleging racial harassment.

So much for engaging in a courageous conversations. 

As you have heard at numerous Richland 2 school board meetings, "You have the right to your opinion."

What I heard when the board chair says that is, "You have the right to your opinion, even when it's wrong." Does anyone else hear it that way?

Apparently, Mais made the unforgivable mistake of using the term "colored people", rather than "people of color". The news article reports that Mais' attorney said that Mais apologized for a "slip of the tongue," but "Another teacher who was in that training began berating her in front of others".

What is wrong with people today? All the talk of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and some people are still so thin-skinned that they'll complain if a butterfly goes by in the wrong direction. And I'm not referring to Ms. Mais.

Good luck to Emily Mais. May she collect the big bucks from Albemarle County School District, and may they have to pay it from their own pockets and not out of insurance!

Know about The Overton Report?

This morning I watched this episode of Corey Allen's The Overton Report. It starts off with comments about Richland 2 teacher Lisa Ellis, founder (or co-founder?) of SC for Ed, who has announced she is running to be elected as S.C. Superintendent of Education.

My dislike for SC for Ed started when "they" influenced so many teachers to bag school on a workday a couple of years ago and show up at the S.C. State Capitol to protest for higher pay.

Richland 2 knew about that protest and proclaimed for weeks that it would not cancel school that day. It would manage with substitutes and whatever else it took to keep the doors open. You know, provide an education for the children. It's "for the children", don't you know?

What actually happened? The day before the protest, Richland 2 caved in. Of course, where it fell apart was not taking a strong stand weeks before. The superintendent should have directed all his subordinates to inform teachers that "Schools will be open May 1st", and then he should have told principals to limit the number of absences that would be approved.

It was clearly a work stoppage that was planned. It was a strike. Every teacher without an approved excuse for the personal day should have been docked a day's pay. 

But even board members at the time voiced support, and some even showed up downtown.

They forgot they are Management. They are Trustees. They direct the school district. They don't align with Workers. Ahh, but the votes...

So, watch this episode of The Overton Report. See who Lisa Ellis is. Then decide. Is she someone you would like running the State Department of Education?

WANTED: Lawyer who'd like to earn $4,000,000

(Click to enlarge)

Is there a lawyer licensed to practice in South Carolina who'd like to talk about earning $4,000,000?

If there is, I'd like to talk to him or her. Please contact me at gusphilpott@gmail.com or call me at 847.971.7083

Following the January 25, 2022 incident in the Richland 2 school district boardroom, the District issued at least one media release that concerns me greatly.

And the Board Chair and Vice-Chair made statements on WIS-TV that also concern me greatly.

Recently I was asked what I wanted out of the mess that the District created.

My answer was, "A check from Richland 2, with my name on it, in the amount of $10,000,000, would be a good start."

I'm not in any hurry. There is a two-year statute of limitations.

Finally - What NLLC means

When Amelia McKie files her Statement of Economic Interests Report with the S.C. Ethics Commission, she must list the source of any Private Income. She doesn't have to list the amount, but she has to name the source.

And she does. She lists the source as NLLC.

A business name search on the S.C. Secretary of State website has never revealed a registration for NLLC. A business name search on the Richland County Business Service Center website (latest year 2020) shows no NLLC. So what is it?

In the past I've found NLLC on the internet, but somehow I didn't think that the National Labrador Liquor Club was the source of her income.

Now I know. The source of her private income is Nfusion, LLC (whatever that is). McKie incorporated a Limited Liability Company of that name with S.C. Secretary of State on April 2, 2009.

Is it proper to list her business (Nfusion, LLC) as "NLLC" on the forms submitted to the S.C. Ethics Commission? It's a real stretch to think that anyone on the planet would know that NLLC is Nfusion, LLC.

Thomas Sowell - do you know his name?

For several years I have received the Imprimis publication of Hillsdale College. This month's edition features an article about Thomas Sowell, titled "The Continuing Importance of Thomas Sowell", by Jason L. Riley.

Riley is the author of Maverick; a Biography of Thomas Sowell, published in May 2021. Riley writes an insightful piece about Sowell, and I highly recommend it to your reading.

Thomas Sowell was born on June 30, 1930 in Gastonia, North Carolina. Riley describes him as "a black orphan from the Jim Crow South who was born into extreme poverty during the Great Depression, never finished high school, didn't earn a college degree until he was 28, and didn't write his first book until he was 40." 

Sowell published his 36th book in 2020. It is Charter Schools and Their Enemies.

Riley quotes Sowell, "Schools exist for the education of children. Schools do not exist to provide iron-clad jobs for teachers, billions of dollars in union dues for teachers unions, monopolies for educational bureaucracies, a guaranteed market for [graduates of] teachers colleges, or a captive audience for indoctrinators."

After your read this issue of Imprimis, go to the Hillsdale College and sign up to receive future copies. It's free. And don't forget to support the College, if you like what they are doing. Hillsdale College accepts NO government financial supports!

Stop the Woke-ness in Richland 2

 Every teacher and administrator should read and print this article from FoxNews yesterday.

The first sentence in the story reads, "A public university in Ohio will pay $400,000 in damages and attorney fees after punishing a professor for declining a male student's demand to be referred to as a female."

Read "Ohio public university to pay $400,000 in damages after punishing professor over preferred pronoun controversy"

The world does not need to conform to a few people who think they are special. 

Trustee-elect Teresa Holmes, acting Board Chair since July 1, 2021, told the audience and online viewers at the end of the February 8, 2022 board meeting to "Stay Woke". No, Teresa; sorry, you are wrong.

How many teachers and administrators are being threatened right now in Richland 2 for the same reason that professor was punished?

Holmes and the board should be telling the superintendent to direct his staff to eliminate wokeness from their signature lines on email and other correspondence. Eliminate that line with "personal pronouns she, her". If I see the name Carolyn (an example (apologies to all Carolyns)), I know she is female. I don't need to see "she, her". Of course, the issue in this article is different.

Why do I refer to Teresa Holmes as "trustee-elect" and "acting" Board Chair?

Holmes is "trustee-elect" because, although she was elected to the school board on November 6, 2018, she has, to this day, never taken the oath-of-office legally. She did take an oath on November 13, 2018, but that was three full weeks before she first became eligible to take the oath on December 4, 2018.

And why "acting" Board Chair? Only legitimate Board members can be elected as officers of the Board. The board was reminded of this on June 29, 2021, during Public Participation before the nominations were opened for the board election for the 2021-2022 school year. 

As soon as nominations opened, the first very nomination was made to Trustee Manning. He was present during Public Partipation and heard my plea to the board to nominate and elect only fully-qualified board members. Yet the call for nominations for board chair was hardly out of the mouth of the board-election moderator, when Manning popped up and nominated Holmes.

By that time in the meeting, I was watching from home. Good thing, too, or I might have sprung from my chair and shouted, "Point of Order"!

Look at the chaos that has enveloped the board since July 1, 2021. The public can thank the board majority and especially James Manning.

So, if you are "woke", stay home

New McKie Ethics Complaint Heads for Hearing

An ethics complaint against Richland School District Two's trustee-elect Amelia McKie is headed to a hearing before the South Carolina Ethics Commission.

When McKie filed her 2021 Statement of Economic Interests Report (Disclosures for 2020) with the Ethics Commission on January 12, 2021, she did not report her income from Richland School District Two. 

A really good question is why she would fail to disclose that $9,600 received from Richland Two. Did she just forget it? Or neglect to enter it in the very simple form on the Commission's website? She had reported it in previous years. Why not in the 2021 Report?

The Commission will hold a hearing on June 16, 2022 at 9:30AM at its offices at 201 Executive Center Drive. The hearing is open to the public.

McKie did file an Amended SEI Report on December 23, 2021 and disclosed the income from Richland 2 at that time. 

McKie has other woes related to Ethics Commission filings. On July 10, 2019 the Ethics Commission filed a judgment in Richland Count Common Pleas Court for $51,750.

Since the filing of that judgment, she has had additional problems with the Ethics Commission, and her total debt, as of February 22, 2022, is $57,100. Three Default Years are shown: 2016, 2020, 2021. Why is her debt going up, instead of down? Why isn't she paying off her debt? If she paid just $100/month, it would take her 47½ YEARS to pay it off.

This is the person that your Richland 2 Board of Trustees trusts to be Secretary of the Board.

Her $57,100 amount makes McKie one of the top debtors of the S.C. Ethics Commission. McKie is in the Top Ten of Debtors; in fact, she is Number 10. 

To read its report of Debtors, go to ethics.sc.gov  At the top right corner of the homepage, click on Debtors. At the bottom left of the page, click on Debtors List (PDF). Unfortunately, the List appears to be a Word document, not Excel. It's not sortable. There are 25 pages of names, and the total owed to the Ethics Commission is $2,638,375.04 as of 12/20/2021.

The top ten debtors owe $1,209,978!!! That's 46% of the total debts owed to the Ethics Commission.

Gov. McMaster ought to be shaking a big stick at the S.C. Dept. of Revenue, which is the collection agent for money owed to the State. 

Open Letter to Molly Spearman

The following letter has been sent to Molly Spearman, Superintendent of the South Carolina Department of Education.

Dear Supt. Spearman,

 

I am writing to request your help in dealing with Richland 2 School District.

You are probably already familiar with the January 25, 2022 incident at a Richland 2 board meeting, when Mrs. Pamela Davis, wife of Supt. Baron Davis, created a disruption that resulted in two white men being kicked out of the meeting and being put on Trespass Notice by Richland 2. The District failed to investigate the matter and did not discipline either Pamela or Baron Davis. I filed a complaint with your office against Pamela Davis and awaiting a determination.

I am writing to request your help with Richland 2's violation of its Administrative Rule KI-R, which allows a designated security officer to "issue a verbal or written 'no trespass' notice for the school facility". The District has issued a No Trespass Notice to me that bans me  from "...any and ALL [emphasis in the original] Richland School District Two properties, facilities, campuses and buildings..."

The District is apparently having difficulty in understanding that "facility" is singular; it means "the (one) facility" where an incident occurred. 

I have filed complaints against Richland 2's employee who has exceeded his authority by issuing the No Trespass Notice beyond its limited scope and also against the Administrative Rule itself. The Rule provides no guidelines for duration and no provision for Due Process. The employee has denied me access to a property other than R2i2 and also to the Richland County Public Library, which leases its Sandhills Library from the District.

The District refuses to process my complaints against the employee and the Rule.

Will the South Carolina Department of Education assist me to 1) requiring Richland 2 to process complaints duly-filed and 2) to require Richland 2 to comply with its written Administrative Rule and to cease improperly and unlawfully expanding it?

Sincerely,

Gus Philpott

Resident, Richland School District Two

847.971.7083

cc:  Gov. Henry McMaster

       Attorney General Alan Wilson

       Scott Price, Executive Director, SCSBA

       Jamie Devine, President, SCSBA

ESG and your Real credit worthiness

E S G

Consider this. You work hard, build a business, do things well, serve the public, borrow money, pay it back; pay your bills on time.

You ought to have good credit; right? You should be able to borrow money at a bank - at a fair interest rate; right?

Then along comes ESG. You've heard of the Cancel Culture; right? Have you heard of ESG?

Read this week's issue of The Nerve, published by the South Carolina Policy Council. In particular, read the article titled "Officials warn ESG movement heading to SC amid ‘woke’ power play".

What is ESG? Environment, Social, Governance

If your "scores" on ESG aren't high enough, your woke bank might just make your life miserable. 

The article is a worthwhile read. The Policy Council is worthy of financial support.

Racial Division - alive and well (unfortunately)

(Click to enlarge)

On September 24, 2020 Diversity and Equity Chief Helen Grant presented "Shifting to a Diverse, Inclusive and Equitable Mindset." While uclear on the first page of the presentation just who the target audience was, it appeared to be aimed at Administrative Professionals. 

Slide 29 is shown above.

This is what is being "done to" the Administrative Professionals. If I didn't know better, I'd say those are the Principals and Assistant Principals thoughout Richland 2. And probably the headquarters staff.

Those are the people who steer those below them in the ranks; i.e., the teachers, staff, secretaries, assistants.

That slide is a great example of the Critical Race Theory that Richland 2 "doesn't teach", if you want to believe Teresa Holmes, the woman who sits in the position of Board Chair.

Holmes wants everyone to Go Woke (or did she say, "Stay Woke"?).

But parents are waking up. Thank goodness.

Roll Call at Board Meetings?

Should the Richland 2 School Board take a roll call at every board meeting? 

How else would the Minues ever correctly reflect who was there and who was not, or who attended by telephone?

Roll call should be taken at 5:30PM, when the Public Session officially convenes. And probably again at the beginning of the Executive Session, just in case someone got lost on the way to dinner.

And then roll call should be taken at 6:30PM, when the Public Session reconvenes. How much time would that require? One minute? (More, if certain people didn't recognize their name or weren't paying attention.)

If a board member is absent in-person but attending remotely, that should be properly noted to the Public and in the Minutes. The reason should be clear. And those board members present in person should vote whether to allow that absent person to attend telephonically.

The Richland 2 school board is not an after-school club. It is the elected group that oversees a $300,000,000+ annual budget, 28,000+ students, 3,000+ employees, and assets worth $1 Billion.

Next time you are attending or watching a meeting, ask yourself this question. "If I owned that business, which of those eight people at the front of the room would I trust to direct it and run it?"

Remember this on November 8, 2022.

Are Rules for the Board and District, too?

Or is it, "The rules are for thee and not for me." Is that the attitude of Richland 2 School District?

I have at least four complaints on file with Richland 2 since February 22. They are about actions of Safety & Security Director Marq Claxton and the Administrative Rule (AR) KI-R that is not being followed.

Remember the board meeting when Trustee Caution-Parker said that there are rules and that the District will follow the rules. Do you remember there was no objection to her statement by Board Chair Holmes? Or Supt. Davis. Or by any other trustee? Perhaps somebody should have said right then, "Wait just one minute! We are not going to follow all the rules!"

In a wordy email sent to me late last Friday afternoon over Teresa Holmes' name (but clearly not written by her), the District informed me that my complaints were being considered part of the original grievance that the Board discussed on February 22 and would not be considered separately.

I responded (again) that the complaints were separate and distinct from the grievance, which I could not attend because the Security Director denied my request to enter R22i2 to attend the grievance. (Gee, I wonder who told him to make that decision.)

Did Claxton make that decision on his own? Not likely. Did Will Anderson direct him to make that decision? Probably not. Did Harry Miley direct Will to so direct Claxton? Did Marshalynn Franklin tell Miley to tell Anderson to tell Claxton to deny me? Did Baron Davis tell Marshalynn to tell Harry to tell Will to tell Claxton?

Or did Baron Davis just save time and skip over Marshalynn, Harry, and Will and tell Claxton "Just say No"?

But back to Rules.

The District has Board Policies and Administrative Rules. If they aren't going follow them, why have them? Just because the South Carolina School Boards Association says so?

When Teresa Holmes writes at 9:53PM on a Monday (April 11), "Mr. Philpot, You have received our official response.  Have a nice day, and this matter is closed", I recognize that as coming from her.

Won't she be surprised, when she finds out that the matter is not closed?

Safety app - know about it?

Seen on Facebook.

Know about this? Download it from PlayStore to your Android. Really?

A search of PlayStore just now reveals one app, which is for the school District, not a specific safety app. Is this safety app buried in the Richland 2 app?

Sure wish I'd had the safety app on January 25th!!!

 

Did R2 just threaten me?

Last week, when Richland 2 taxpayers, parents and I were looking for the Proposed 2022-2023 budget, we couldn't find it anywhere on the District's website. A public input session on the Budget was announced in the Agenda published for the April 7th school board meeting.

Some of us thought the proposed budget ought to be available for inspection. How else would one be able to provide input on it? I had no doubt that a Proposed Budget for the next school year existed and had been in the works for months. No organization with a $300,000,000 annual budget lets it go until the last 1½ months.

I emailed the District's Ombudsman via the Let's Talk feature at the bottom of the District's homepage.

Here's the response I received from the District:

Mr. Philpott,

This is in response to the Let's Talk forms you submitted on April 4 at 4:01 p.m. and on April 5 at 8:50 a.m.

A proposed 2022-2023 General Fund Budget does currently exist. The district is still in the input/information gathering steps as outlined on the timeline: https://www.richland2.org/Departments/Business-Services/General-Fund-Budget​.

The proposed budget is first published on the agenda for the board meeting where it is scheduled to receive first reading. For the 2022-2023 the first reading is scheduled for the May 24 board meeting. Therefore, the proposed budget will be on the agenda for that meeting when it is published to the public.

A link to the General Fund page on the district's website has been added to the news articles on the district's website about the public information session and the board meeting. Thank you for that suggestion. 

You stated in the April 4 form that you "just wasted a fair amount of time trying to help someone find the proposed FY 2022-2023 General Fund Budget." Based on that statement, I feel compelled to caution you from representing yourself as an official source of information on Richland School District Two.  

Sincerely,

Libby Roof

Then Mrs. Roof quickly sent a corrected email, which read,

Clarification

Mr. Philpott,

I just saw a typo in my response to you. I should have stated A proposed 2022-2023 General Fund Budget does not currently exist. The district is still in the input/information gathering steps as outlined on the timeline: https://www.richland2.org/Departments/Business-Services/General-Fund-Budget​.

I apologize for my mistake.

Thank you,

Libby

I appreciated her quick Correction (not really a "Clarification"). It was a simple error and was caught quickly and corrected. No big deal, for me. Frankly, I think she was correct the first time; i.e., that the proposed Budget does exist but isn't ready for publication yet.

Now, the part of the communication that greatly concerned me is this:  

You stated in the April 4 form that you "just wasted a fair amount of time trying to help someone find the proposed FY 2022-2023 General Fund Budget." Based on that statement, I feel compelled to caution you from representing yourself as an official source of information on Richland School District Two.  

Libby Roof knows, and everyone is the District knows, that I have never represented myself an an "official source of information". Not even close! 

So where did that come from?

Does she really "feel" that way? Was she instructed to put that "caution" in her response? Who would have told her to do such a thing? Are all my communications to the District monitored? Do employees do as they are told, even if they object? 

Mrs. Roof is a nice person. Personally, I don't think she ever would have written anything like that on her own. She's a great loyal, trustworthy, kind, reverent, obedient, hard-working employee. 

Go back and read what she put out after the bruhaha in the board room on January 25th. The statement which was put out then had to have been crafted and approved well above the Media Relations Department. (I worked in a corporate HR department of a Fortune 50 company and saw how formal press releases on difficult issues were "massaged" by the lawyers.) There's a two-year Statute of Limitations on that one!

If a threatening message is going to be sent to me from the District, it had better come over the signature of the Superintendent or an attorney for the District, and not from Media Relations. And they'd better have their facts lined up, because they are going to need them. They have found one man who is not intimidated by them and who refuses to be bullied.

Only 84 more days; NOT 10 Years

Hey, I guess I'm really lucky.

My ban from ALL Richland 2 properties is only for 84 more days.

Just think; it could have been ten years! Good thing the Academy Awards "slap" was after January 25, or it might have given Marq Claxton and Baron Davis bigger ideas.

And Mrs. Pamela Davis didn't even slap me. But she did shout and disrupt the room before the meeting started. It felt like a slap. I mean, I backed up - fast!

I remember almost feeling sorry for Baron that night. If she yelled at me for a little thing like my introducing myself, then what it must be like in the Davis household. 

The first board meeting in July will be Tuesday, July 12. Join me at R2i2. By that time there will be a new board chair. Which one of the Core Four will be elected on June 28? McKie will still owe $57,100 to the South Carolina Ethics Commission. Holmes will have just finished a disastrous year. Manning? He knows the ropes but needs more chalk on his hands (to stop slip-sliding around). Caution-Parker will tell us again and again about her 40 years of "service" (existence) at Richland 2. 

As to the "slap". Too bad Will Smith didn't knock Chris Rock down with a solid right to the chin. Rock definitely hit below the belt with his not-so-humorous jab at Jada Pinkett Smith.

Where is the 4/7/2022 Video???

This morning I could not access the recording of last night's board meeting, and I submitted an inquiry through the Let's Talk function on the District's homepage.

This afternoon I received this response:

"Thanks for reaching out. There was an issue with the upload to the live stream. The video for the April 7, 2022 meeting is being processed for uploading on the Richland Two YouTube channel. It should be posted by tomorrow."

Last week I raised the question about why it was no longer possible to copy the YouTube recording into Vibby.com and select out a portion of the recording for a comment.

This is the response that I received on March 29th to that inquiry:

"The district's media production team recently standardized the settings for all videos uploaded on the district's YouTube channel. This standardization ensures that, no matter which member of our team uploads a video to the district's channel, we will apply the Video Details settings consistently and in line with our best practices."

What do I think really happened? I think the District changed the YouTube settings to prevent others and me from selecting embarrassing portions of meetings and placing a link in our messages and blogs, while allowed a reader quickly to access the specific portion of the meeting. 

The District didn't just "standardize" settings for uniformity of staff; it changed settings.

What chance is there that fiddling with the setting interfered withthe prompt posting of last night's video? It seemed to me that the live recording did not begin before the meeting was called to order. The Board was 25 minutes late, and I thought the live recording started after Vice Chair Manning called the meeting to order. He was saying something about Holmes' absence, but I didn't hear the reason.

I did hear her dog bark at one point, and Holmes was inattentive at times and not able to respond promptly and vote without prompting. That's our $400/meeting Chair for you. How many meetings has she missed (in-person)?

650PM Where is the Board???

Did the Board go home and forget to inform the audience and the public?

April 7th 6:50PM and they still have not returned from Executive Session.

Inexcusable. Terrible time management. Gross disrespect of the public and the staff.

No announcement to the public waiting online for the meeting to start. Was any announcement made in the meeting room?

Where are they???

Public Input on Proposed Budget

On the Thursday, April 7th board meeting agenda is "Item 3.1 Public Input on 2022-2023 Budget". This Item comes up as the very first item of business after the board re-convenes after the executive session.

I looked for the proposed Budget and couldn't find it. I noticed on Facebook that others were looking for it and could not find it.

So I wrote to the Richland 2 Ombudsman, and Libby Roof replied, in part,

A proposed 2022-2023 General Fund Budget does not currently exist. The district is still in the input/information gathering steps as outlined on the timeline:

 https://www.richland2.org/Departments/Business-Services/General-Fund-Budget​

My first thought was WHY is the District holding a public input session for a Budget that does not yet exist. Interested and concerned community members, parents, teachers and staff might like to know on what they will provide input. Don't you think?

World's Greatest Teacher?

A friend sent me yesterday's article about a teacher at Georgia State University, Newton Campus, who called campus police because two students were late to class.

No racism there. The teacher is black; the two tardy students are black.

Read the article in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Associate Professor of English Carissa Gray is just a bad person. You think?

Then read her reviews on "Rate My Professors" website. 

https://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=1841747

To me, she looks like a great teacher. She expects students to do their work, arrive on time, not yawn in class (duh....) 

She got a bunch of "AWFUL" ratings from kids who look to me like they are "entitled"; i.e., entitled to A's for just making it to class a few times and not yawning too loudly.

Budget Input - two opportunities

Richland 2 will hold two Budget Input Sessions this month. Be sure to show up in-person and tell the board how you feel and what you want. Sending an email could end up - where? Speaking in-person? Be lively. Hold their attention. Don't let them hit Snooze.

Look them in the eye. Will they look you in the eye? Or will they stare at their tablets or phones or busy themselves with writing, while you are speaking?

First session. THURSDAY, April 7, 2022 6:30PM Jackson Creek Elementary School (why???)

Second session. Tuesday, April 26, 2022 6:30PM R2i2

From the District's website:

RICHLAND TWO TO HOLD TWO BUDGET INPUT SESSIONS IN APRIL

3/31/2022

The Richland Two Board of Trustees and district administrators are holding input sessions to give employees, parents, students and community members the opportunity to provide suggestions for the FY 2022-2023 General Fund Budget. 

Public input sessions will be the first item on the agenda during the public sessions of the board meetings on April 7 and April 26. Public session of the meetings begin at 6:30 p.m. The April 7 meeting will be held at Jackson Creek Elementary School (7150 Trenholm Road Extension, 29223), and the April 26 meeting will be held at the R2i2 Conference Center (763 Fashion Drive, 29229).

The board meetings will be called to order at 5:30 p.m. and the board will immediately adjourn into executive session. Public session will resume at 6:30 p.m.