Gun at RNE - again

A 15-year-old student had a loaded gun at Richland Northeast High School (RNE) today. How many times this year has RNE been in the news about guns? 

What in the world is wrong with these kids?

Of all the stupid things for a kid to do in the last week of school!!!

The big questions must be WHY and WHO.

Schools should be identifying who will be the next kid with a gun? Is that profiling? So what? 

Richland 2 should be quick to release information: Race? Grade? Discipline history? Grades? 

But it will clam up and claim "Confidentiality". 

Quickly dissect the WHO and the WHY, and publicize it. 

See this article in The State newspaper.

Why Are Teachers Quitting?

How many teachers will be leaving Richland 2 in June? How many have left during the year? What are the demographics of those who have left and are leaving?

Is Richland 2 finding out exactly why they are leaving?

Will teachers be honest about why they are leaving?

Leaving "for a better opportunity" could be a cop-out - a way to avoid giving specific reasons about pressures at work or hours (and hours) required or department heads or assistant principals or principals or even the superintendent.

Read today's updated article in The Epoch Times.

Does Richland 2 conduct Exit Interviews with teachers? Are these interviews conducted anonymously by an unbiased, independent organization, so that teachers can be honest in their remarks and not worry about retaliation or retribution? So that teachers will not have to worry about "someone" bashing them in a reference?

Woke Wisdom at Richland 2

Ever since the shootings in Parkland, Fla, on February 14, 2018, I have been concerned about safety and security in Richland 2 schools. I first addressed the school board on February 27, 2018. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiJD_czDeh8 and fast-forward to 30:08. 

I suggested that board survey teachers, staff and parents on the topic of arming teachers. Upon reviewing my remarks, I was reminded that I had also requested the board on that date in 2018 to create a Parent and Community Members' Advisory Committee on School Safety. 

I was the only speaker that night. Chair Craig Plank invited anyone else who wished to speak to do so. (How different that is now. You might sign up at least 15 minutes before the meeting starts; if you don't, you can't speak.)

Later that evening a parent was allowed to speak during the second Public Participation segment. View that at 1:15:45 on the timer. No one had signed up, but the audience was invited to address the board. The speaker, a Lake Carolina mom of a third-grader, said she didn't want her child's teacher "packing heat". I guess my memory was fault. I thought two parents had spoken up against guns.

Don't we wish Craig Plank was the board chair now?

I have searched in Columbia and Richland County for groups that actually want to DO something to improve safety and security, not just have meetings and "talk" about it.

On Jan. 25, 2022 I got kicked out of a school board meeting after I introduced myself, quietly and politely, to the wife of the superintendent, Pamela Davis. She reacted disruptively and, a few minutes later, is reported to have cussed out a 14-year-old student. But she didn't get kicked out.

April 26, 2022 the Committee of the Whole on Safety and Security was created.

April 28, 2022 taunting and teasing of one board member by the board chair led to another chaotic meeting.

My requests to attend meetings of the Committee have been denied. 

July 1st is right around the corner. The incorrectly-worded Trespass Notice will expire then. 

Why won't Administration (that's the superintendent) and the Board correct the way Trespass Notices are implemented. Administration violates Board Policy, but the board does nothing about it. Even though the Trespass Notice extends for only one more month, should I haul Richland 2 into court and ask a judge to slap their hands?

Is Richland 2 bullying me? Taunting me? Teasing me? Retaliating for my blog and the many nights I have addressed the school board? Seeking retribution for my emails to board members and Admnistration?

Board Policy KI contains Administrative Rule KI-R, which reads, in part: "(Security officers) may issue a verbal or written 'no trespass' notice for the school facility..." Facility is singular. That's one school; in this case, R2i2.

The Trespass Notice sent to me reads, in part, that I am banned from "...ALL [emphasis in the original] Richland School District Two properties, facillities, campuses and buildings..."

The District refuses to address my complaint about the improper expansion of the trespass notice from one school to ALL properties.

Failing to address my complaint is a violation of a different Board Policy (KE).

Texas A.G. Paxton: "Arm Teachers"

Read this article about the Texas Attorney General and his position on arming teachers. Printed in The Epoch Times on May 26, 2022, AG Ken Paxton suggests arming teachers.

For the same reasons I suggested exploring that idea over four years ago at a Richland 2 school board meeting on February 27, 2018, two weeks after the shootings in Parkland, Florida. 

What are the reasons?

- "make it 'more difficult' for people to get in..."

- First Responders can't get there in time to prevent a shooting.

- Police Officer (or Deputy) may not be at the right place at the right time.

- Very short periods of time involved.

- Schools are gun-free zones. The good guys, the law-abiding guys, will not have guns. Shooters know that.

If you were in the boardroom that night in 2018, you could have felt the temperature drop 40º. Actually, what I suggested was a survey of parents, teachers, staff, community members to determine the Will of the People. Although the board chair had announced at the beginning of Public Participation that someone from staff would respond to speakers, no one did. I had to chase the answer, and Supt. Davis eventually spoke for the board, without a board discussion and decision, and told me that there would be no survey.

How naive I was at that time to think that the board would consider my suggestion.

At the time there were two armed District employees on campus. Both worked in the Security Office. Both were former law-enforcement officers. At a later meeting, the board decided to formalize the superintendent's authority for permitting them to carry. During Public Participation I suggested the authority should be the Board, not the superintendent, because of the liability involved.

What did the woke Board do? Rather than assuming the authority for final approval of concealed carry by those two employees, the Board decided that NO employee would be authorized to carry.

This is the problem when you have left-leaning, anti-gun people on the board. 

Two parents said on February 27, 2018 that they did not want guns in schools. I don't, either. However, if the bad guy comes in with a gun, then I DO want guns in the school - in the hands of the good guys.

Slavery - What do YOU know about it?

                                                                "A Short History of Slavery"

Think you know enough about slavery? Have you heard people (some people) shouting "White Supremacy!" and "White Privilege"?

How about "100 Premier Men-of-Color"? What does that mean to you? Are they victims who need a leg up?

Watch this 2021 PragerU video by Candace Owens.

Arm the School Staff?

Argyle, Texas is 29 miles north of Fort Worth, Texas. And 375 miles north of Uvalde, Texas.

An armed teacher or staff member in a school is like a parachute. Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

Arming teachers and staff in Richland 2 schools should be considered, just like every other safety and security measure. It should not be discarded out-of-hand. Not every teacher or staff member would choose to be armed.

In From Luby's to the Legislature, author Suzanna Gratia Hupp, D.C. wrote (paraphrased), "You may not want to carry a gun but, if a gunman tries to hurt your kids or you, you'll wish the person next to you had a gun." 

Her parents were killed in a Luby's Restaurant in Killeen, Texas in 1991 by a madman who drove his truck into the restaurant, got out and started shooting people. She reached for her purse and her gun, and then she remembered that she had left it in her car, because Texas law then did not allow carrying it.

Watch her impassioned remarks to a legislative committee on 2/12/2013 here. She worked hard to get Texas to pass its concealed carry law. I heard her speak in Chicago, when Illinois was considering its concealed-carry law.

A Book to Read - Why Meadow Died

I wish to recommend a book to you. I have recommended it to the Committee of the Whole on Safety & Security and to the candidates for the school board who have already identified themselves.

Why Meadow Died, by Andrew Pollack. 

The author's daughter, Meadow, died in the shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. on February 14, 2018. You might think that Mr. Pollack is against guns. He's not. Please read the book.

That shooting is what prompted me to address the Richland 2 School Board two weeks later, on February 27, 2018. I urged the Board to survey of parents, community members, teachers, and staff on the topic of arming teachers and staff. The board never considered my request, and Supt. Davis rejected it.

Soon after that, I urged the Board to apply for a School Safety Shield Grant. The Grant might have been $15,-20,000 of unrestricted funds, to be used by the school district to improve safety. Again, the board never considered my request, and Supt. Davis rejected it. I felt it was not considered because the Grant would have been from the NRA.

And here we are today. Still "talking" about safety and security.

Special-Called Board Meeting, May 31, 2022

Today the District announced a special-called board meeting for the purpose of considering the budget for the 2022-2023 School Year. The board will meet on May 31 at 5:30PM

Go to the agenda for the meeting and then look at the Resolution that was drafted for the meeting.

What's wrong with it?

The boilerplate is all there. Probably not anything wrong with that.

But then look at the dateline. "It is so resolved this 24th day of May 2022." Someone was optimistic last week that that would be handled at the board meeting on May 24. It wasn't.

Obviously, that line should read, "It is so resolved this _______ day of May 2022." And then "31st" will be filled in on May 31.

And look at the formatting for the signatures. Obviously, the signature line above the Board Chair's name should be moved to the left.

Look at the mess with the other signature line(s).

Now, the huge elephant in the room is who will sign this Resolution. You can expect Teresa Holmes to sign as Board Chair and Amelia McKie to sign as Board Secretary.

However, neither is a legitimate Board Member or Board Officer and cannot legally sign this Resolution.

Neither Holmes nor McKie has ever taken the oath-of-office legally, so neither is a legitimate board member. And one must be a legitimate board member in order to be elected to serve as a board officer.

The board should have fixed this problem early in 2019, more than three years ago. 

Manning never should have nominated Holmes to serve as Board Chair on June 29, 2021, and Caution-Parker never should have nominated McKie to serve as Board Secretary. And the board members never should have elected them. But they did. Or, at least four of them did.

Doing so did not cure the problem. It compounded the problem.

My suggestion? 

Add a line above the signature lines that they will be signing under penalty of perjury. Then the South Carolina Inspector General and Attorney General ought to be able to get their attention.

WACH-TV on Gov's possible referral to I.G.

WACH-TV Fox/57 reported today on the Governor's possible referral to the S.C. Inspector General to nose around in Richland 2 School District.

I had a good laugh at the final paragraph in the story.

"WACH FOX News asked Richland Two school district leaders about the proposed investigation. They tell us they can’t comment directly on the matter right now, but do say they’re making all parents, faculty and staff aware of what’s expected."

Here's an idea for Richland 2.

MAKE THE SCHOOL BOARD (ESPECIALLY FOUR OF THEM) AWARE OF WHAT'S EXPECTED.

Cooperaton. Collaboration. Civility. 

The article quotes Mary Ann Adams, who delivered a powerful statement during public participation on May 24th. “Instead of engaging each other like professional adults, you behave like of popular middle school girls who corner the outcast of the group, and tease and taunt her, out of the sight of others, until she explodes,” said Mary Ann Adams. “Effective leaders attempt to deescalate situations.”

We all know about whom Mrs. Adams was speaking. 

Sheriff Lott presser at Decker Blvd. RCSD Annex

Sheriff Lott held a press conference at 4:00PM today at the Richland County Sheriff's Department Annex on Decker Blvd.

Guess who was front and center when the press conference closed with prayer? Amelia McKie and Teresa Holmes. Manning was in the back row.

Remember Tuesday night, when Holmes stayed away from the school board meeting to, as Manning put it, keep us all safe? What a miraculous recovery from her COVID exposure she had! How nice that she had a complete recovery from her COVID contact and could show up for some TV face time today. And no mask! Where was your mask, Teresa?

Three board members were there: Holmes, McKie, Manning. Was Caution-Parker there?

Look at all those people. Did Holmes tell them of her recent close contact with COVID? 

Where were Agostini, McFadden and Scott?

None of those three was informed of this press conference. 

Dr. Monica Scott was not told of this presser, and she is the Chair of the Committee of the Whole for Safety & Security.

Trustee Lashonda McFadden did not know about it.

Trustee Lindsay Agostini was not told of it.

How could Teresa Holmes, Amelia McKie and James Manning know about this presser and NOT Dr. Scott or Mrs. McFadden or Mrs. Agostini?

7-year-old with gun at Sandlapper Elem.

Hold onto your hats, pardner.

The cops nabbed a 7-year-old with a gun at Sandlapper Elementary School today. Can you believe this?

Of course, we'll never hear his name. Maybe I should snoop around and ask some questions. I could get it by noon tomorrow.

So the big questions are 1) did he know it was in his backpack? 2) if he did know, why did he take it to school? 3) If he didn't know, who put it there?

What kind of gun was it? Was it loaded?

I write "he", but the WACH.com story did not indicate whether the student was a boy or a girl.

At 6:38PM there is no story on thestate.com

WIS-TV reports the gun was loaded but does not report the gender of the student.

I'd say a record was set today in Richland 2 schools.

BlythewoodOnline reams trustee spending

Don't miss the May 12th article on www.blythewoodonline. org about school board over-spending of its travel allowance. You will want to read it more than once or print it and underline key information and statements.

In addition to reporting over-spending by Monica Scott and Teresa Holmes, Reporter Debra McCown estimated that James Manning will be about $2,000 over his allowance. 

Absolutely, the District's Accounts Payable Department never should have over-paid even one board member. It's not a clerk's fault; someone (at least two of them) approved the overage. A clerk would have said, "Hey, this person doesn't have any money left in her (his) allowance." 

EACH person who over-spent must repay the District. While it might be nice for a board member who has money left to help out another board member by transferring some of her unspent funds, why should she?

This paragraph in the article ought to stir up readers: "Also, at one point, she (Monica Scott) says, Davis (the superintendent) abruptly canceled board members’ registration to a conference in a knee- jerk reaction to a comment made by someone associated with the event – and later re-registered them, but at twice the cost because early booking discounts no longer applied."

What gives the superintendent any right to cancel a board member's reservation? Who does he think he is? That immature reaction ought to result in payment of excess costs by the superintendent! 

And this paragraph in the story? "Davis, in a recent school board meeting, said he assumed board members were tracking their own expenditures – and that’s why the administration continued to approve travel that exceeded the budgeted amounts."

Just because his "assumption" was incorrect is no reason whatsoever for the Accounts Payable Department to overpay a board member! Aren't there any accounting controls in place?

As for Holmes, the newspaper's story continues: "Holmes did not respond to an email Monday seeking comment. Her statement at the April 26 meeting, however, sought to blame her overspending on the pandemic.

"Obviously we have just come out of Covid, and every travel that we have taken, those people that have traveled, has been extra expensive for Covid,” Holmes said, “so there are a lot of people who did not keep up with the budget.”

Huh? Is that a statement by a person with a doctorate? With 35 (or is it more) years in the field of education? That's one of the dumbest statements I've seen from her.

The public should demand proof that those board members who over-spent have repaid the excess. 

How will the superintendent's lack of management and over-sight here affect his Annual Evaluation?

Premier 100 day trip to St. Helena island

On Saurday, June 4, 2022 there will be a day trip to St. Helena Island, S.C. for the Premier 100 Men-of-Color program.

Thanks to a tip from a reader, I inquired about this. 

The response from the District was, "As a culminating activity for this year’s Premier 100 retention efforts, some of the male educators of color who work in Richland Two will take a day trip to St. Helena Island to tour the Penn Center."

That response prompted several questions in my mind.

How many employees will attend?

Are those who attend being compensated?

Who pays for it?

What is the budget for the event?

Does the District provide transportation? School bus? Chartered motorcoach? More than one?

What retention effort is there for female teachers?

What retention effort is there for white male teachers?

When is the Board either going to make this part of the superintendent's job description and evaluate him on it, or direct him to shut it down?

Why isn't the Premier 100 Men-of-Color program considered race-based and discriminatory?

Can OIG investigate Richland 2? (not yet)

Media are reporting that Gov. McMaster may ask Brian Lamkin, Inspector General for the State of South Carolina, to investigate the Richland 2 School District because of the chaos (my word) that has become so public.

I welcome such an investigation.

However, in reading the OIG's webpages and, in particular, the section "File a Complaint" this message is prominent.

This is why the passage and signing of S.202 is so important. It will broaded the powers of the Inspector General. Urge your state legislators to complete work on S.202 and pass it without delay. The Bill is in Conference Committee now (House: Bernstein (D), Caskey (R), Collins (R); Senate: Hembree (R), Young (R), Hutto(D))

Complaints we can investigate.

Where we can help:

The Inspector General can only investigate allegations of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement, misconduct, or wrongdoing involving South Carolina State government agencies and their employees in the Executive Branch of State Government (includes public colleges and universities).

We cannot investigate allegations involving the following:

• Judicial Branch (courts, judges, and certain regulatory agencies),
• State Legislature (senators and representatives and their staffs)
• local governments (city and county governments, police departments, sheriff departments, school districts, etc.)
• Federal government agencies and their employees
• private businesses
• individuals (who are not state government employees)

Source: https://oig.sc.gov/file-complaint

OK, so what does Gov. McMaster know that the I.G. doesn't know.

Will the OIG be able to investigate Teresa Holmes and Amelia Mckie for not even being legitimate members of the school board? 

For usurping public office? 

\For acting as officers of the school board? McKie for her $57,000 debt to the South Carolina Ethics Commission? 

Holmes for failing to open an investigation into the January 25, 2022 boardroom incident? 

Holmes, Baron Davis and Claxton for refusing my request to attend the hearing of my grievance against the superintendent? 

Holmes and B. Davis for refusing to address my complaint about the improper expansion of AR KI-R in my Trespass Notice to apply to ALL Richland 2 properties and not just R2i2? 

Holmes for failing to open an investigation in the incident in the April 28, 2022 executive session (and determine whether it was even a legal executive session)?

Nashville, May 11, 2022

Why is this story just showing up now on WIS-TV? Two weeks later (but only one day after the shootings in Uvalde, Texas).

Teachers at Inglewood Elementary School, in Nashville, took action when a man tried to force his way into their school.

https://www.wistv.com/2022/05/25/teachers-hold-down-intruder-until-police-arrive/?fbclid=IwAR1t6w6J7a3_aPsDGdbJPNQnU7gQJVPa5vmzGh6v-Cpi6RBJNQvlWXyi9q4

Read the story. Have we got teachers and staff here who would do the same?

Kudos to those teachers.

Maybe this article should be read at the next Inspirational Moment of a board meeting!!!

Parent Survey - Safety & Security

Did you receive your survey that was distributed by the Committee of the Whole on Safety & Security?

This survey was mentioned at last night's board meeting. 

Did you receive it? Did you return it?

Since I'm not a parent of a Richland 2 student, I did not receive it. I have submitted a request for a copy via the "Let's Talk" webform on the District's homepage.

If you did not receive one, be sure to ask for one, and return it before the deadline.

Do you think the Committee on the Whole should inform the public what it is considering? Are you willing to be left in the dark?

Do you think the Committee should have a special webpage on the District's website, where current information is posted and Minutes of meetings of the Committee of the Whole  can be viewed? They do keep Minutes, don't they?

Speak up, folks!

Quorum - Committee of the Whote

How many board members must attend meetings of the Committee of the Whole (ex., on Safety & Security)?

Holmes was quick to tell board members on April 26 that "you don't have to attend". Really?

Robert's Rules of Order §40:5 reads, in part, "In a committee of the whole or its variations (52), the quorum is the same as in the assembly unless the rules of the assembly or the organization (that is, either its bylaws or its rules of order) specify otherwise."

For the Richland 2 Committee of the Whole, the quorum is five (5). If three do not show it, the committee of the whole cannot transact business.

It is the duty of the presiding officer to confirm that a quorum is present (§40:11). If a quorum doesn't show up, the only action by the presiding officer is to call for a motion to adjourn.

Who will give Holmes the bad news?

Move the Supt. - now

The question has been raised here before about the location of the superintendent's seating at board meetings. Trustee Scott has raised the question in public session of the board.

The superintendent currently claims the seat of privilege, in the corner between the two sides of trustee seating. Did he tell Holmes that is where he wanted to sit? How did he end up there?

For example, at last night's board meeting, to the right of that center position were the seats of Holmes (absent), McKie (Secretary), Caution-Parker, and Agostini.

To the left of that center position were Manning (Vice Chair (and last night's presiding officer)), McFadden, and Scott.

Supt. Davis occupied the center position, the corner position, as he has for a number of months. Any casual visitor to a board meeting would assume that the person in the centermost position was the board chair. 

What does Robert's Rules of Order say?

§3:7 "The presiding officer should be placed so that ... he can see the entire hall and all present can see him (see also 47:5). The presiding officer's official place or station (usually in the center of the platform or stage, if there is one) is called "the chair." During meetings whoever is presiding ... is referred to as "the chair."

Why was Trustee Scott blown off, when she raised the question of the superintendent's seating location?

Is this important?

Of course, it is important. It is the Board that is running things, not the superintendent. Or, at least it is supposed to be that way.

Board Meeting Length? Preposterous!!!

The length of last night's school board meeting was inexcusable. 

The board convened at 5:30PM; went into executive session; concluded executive session at 6:19PM; re-convened at 6:30PM; took a 5-minute recess for a bathroom break; and adjourned at 10:50PM.

James Manning was exhausted before the end of the meeting. And why not?

The agenda for a board meeting is set on Thursday or Friday before the meeting by the board chair and the superintendent. Did Teresa Holmes set it last week with Supt. Davis? Who really drives the agenda - the board chair or the superintendent?

James Manning chaired the meeting last night, because Holmes was home after exposure to COVID. Did he just get stuck with what they planned?

If this board functioned like a true board of directors (trustees), it would be there to hear final information and make decisions, not to nitpick details. A real board would not tolerate lengthy dog-and-pony shows by staff, who are told what to do by their boss - the superintendent.

The board should set an adjournment time of 8:00PM and then confine the work to 90 minutes. If the board chair saddles them with hours of painful listening, then control over the meeting should be exercised by three trustees, and three should walk out. I don't care which three. But it would probably be the three who currently comprise the "minority".

Last night only two would have needed to walk out. I believe a quorum has to be present in-person, but I'm not positive about that.

On a school board the division of majority vs. minority should never exist. It should be one board. That obviously is not the case with the Richland 2 School Board.

Again, last night's Inspirational Moment was not. A violin solo by a student was a performance. I think the introduction by McKie (in itself a performance, or a dress rehearsal for Toastmasters) and the thanks by her were longer than the student's solo. Why won't Holmes tell McKie to just introduce the Moment? Make it a Moment, not a performance. Or, if it is going to showcase students, then be honest and re-name that portion of the meeting.

Board meetings are out-of-control time-wise because the board does not have enough business people on it. Voters can change that this November.

Is it time to arm teachers & staff?

In February 2018 (two weeks after the shooting in Parkland, Fla.), at the first school board meeting I attended, I addressed the Richland 2 school board and asked them to survey parents, teachers, staff and community members on the issue of arming teachers. 

Later that night, in the second Public Participation segment, two parents were allowed to speak. They said they didn't want guns in schools.

Did anyone there that night hear me say I wanted guns in the schools? I wanted a survey! Find out what the community wants.

OK, maybe it's time for that survey now.

As of 10:25PM today, media report that 19 children and two teachers are dead in a shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, which is 80 miles west of San Antonio.

What if many teachers and staff had been armed this morning? When the shooter showed up, he would have been quickly stopped.

Richland 2's Committee of the Whole on Safety & Security is supposed to be hard at work. Will they be serious about protecting students and staff? Will they consider a plan to allow teachers and staff to arm themselves? 

Provide rigorous training in firearms use and the law. 

Remember that often-quoted saying - "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a gun."

10:15PM Still going strong

The May 24, 2022 meeting was still going strong at 10:15PM. Remember that it started at 6:30PM.

The board was hearing a l-o-n-g presentation on the budget by Dr. Harry Miley and a colleague. At 10:15PM she was delivering most of the information.

Why in the world the chair and the superintendent would ever set up such lengthy staff presentations that could have been summarized to board members in other ways?

This meeting has the potential to continue to 11:00PM. Will it?

[Edited]

Mr. Manning tried to end the meeting, calling for short comments by the board and superintendent. McKie went on and on about her daughter, and I thought she was going to thank every category of employee at Richland 2.

10:50PM Meeting adjourned. Was this a record? Four hours 20 minutes (minus the five minute recess). Plus the executive session from 5:30-6:19PM. 

5th Speaker - 5/24/2022 - Now Hear This!

The fifth speaker in Public Participation on May 24, 2022 is not to be missed. She nailed it.

(Mrs.) Mary Ann Adams was introduced and she spoke about the executive session bruhaha on April 28, 2022.

Listen to her remarks on livestream.com/richland2 beginning at 1:25:00. 

Mrs. Adams avoided using names but mentioned how one board member taunted another member and laughed at her. (That would be Holmes taunting and laughing at McFadden.)

That first board member (Holmes) kept laughing at the other member (McFadden) and called her names.

Mrs. Adams commented that some board members attempted to de-escalate the situation, but most did not and are complicit in the bullying.

Mrs. Adams said that (Mrs. McFadden) is not the only guilty party and feels that Mrs. McFadden bears the least guilt in the situation, because she was provoked and you (some of the board members) wanted her to react explosively.

"Effective leaders attempt to de-escalate situations," Mrs. Adams said. "You (meaning Holmes) deliberately make things worse."

Mrs. Adams likened the school board to a group of middle-school girls who bully an outcast.She said a private business would fire you (the complicit board members) on the spot for how you treat a fellow board member. She said that "you" (certain board members) create a hostile work environment.

She said that what happened to Mrs. McFadden was purely harassment.

She said that she has asked the Governor to remove you (meaning Holmes) and other members who display unprofessional and unethical behavior.

Thank you, Mrs. Adams, for your professionally-delivered, excellent statement at the meeting.

Manning - WRONG about naming school personnel !!!

Why did Vice Chair incorrectly apply the Board Policy BEDH on Public Participation at the May 24th meeting?

The fourth speaker (Mr. Paul (last night not clear) during Public Participation tonight wanted to praise administrators and teachers of the schools attended by six of his nine children, which are Blythewood High School, Blythewood Middle School and Round Top Elementary. Listen to his excellent remarks on livestream.com/richland2 at 1:21:40.

The speaker asked if he could mention the names of personnel. Manning said something about "in keeping with (policy)", No.

This Policy has been been discussed at many meetings.

What is so hard about understanding this Policy? BEDH reads, in part, "The board will not permit in public session any expression of personal complaints..."

It says nothing about mentioning names of people associated with the schools or the District. If a speaker wishes to mention a name of a teacher, administrator or Board Member, s/he can do so. Board Policy is silent about that!

What is so hard about understanding that? Why can't Manning (and Holmes) understand that?

McKie cuts off discussion

Amelia McKie moved quickly to cut off discussion, shortly after the Richland 2 school board convened its May 24, 2022 Regular Board Meeting.

Vice Chair Manning opened the meeting and explained Teresa Holmes' absence. Holmes had informed him of having been exposed to COVID-19 by a family member. Holmes would be attending by telephone. Manning said Holmes would attend by telephone to keep everyone at the meeting safe. Nice try, James.

Trustee Scott had indicated to him that she would attend the executive session by telephone and will attend the meeting in-person when it re-convenes at 6:30PM.

Manning said Trustee McFadden was present but that she would attend the executive session by telephone. If I were to guess, I'd said she would not even want to be in the same room as Teresa Holmes. Perhaps she will attend the executive session in person, since Holmes was not present.

Manning asked for a Motion to go into executive session, but Trustee Scott asked to be recognized. After she was, she spoke to clarify why she would be attending the executive session by telephone. She stated that she would be attending the executive session by telephone because "someone" violated board policy on April 28th by recording in the executive session.

Then McKie made a motion to go into executive session. It was seconded by Caution-Parker, which seems to me to be about her only role on the board.

During discussion before the vote to go into executive session, Trustee Agostini read the final paragraph of Board Policy BEC, which prohibits recording during executive session. She also stated that it appeared to her that the recorder was already on ___ (partially not understandable).

While Mrs. Agostini was speaking, you can see Cheryl Caution-Parker not paying attention to her.

You can also see that Amelia McKie is busy shuffling items on her desk and apparently not paying attention to Mrs. Agostini.

Manning asked if there was further discussion and McKie hopped in with a Call for the Question to vote. Fancy words for shutting off further discussion. 

McKie's call for the Question (to Vote) was unnecessary, because that is exactly what Manning would have done, had there been no further discussion.

When there is a Call for the Question (i.e., let's vote), Robert's Rules of Order §16:6-7 applies. This one appeared to catch Manning by surprise.

What should have happened next? Manning should have asked if there was any objection to closing debate (or discussion). Had someone objected to closing discussion, he would have had to ask for a second to McKie's call for the vote. Then McKie's motion (call for the vote) would have required a vote; only after that vote, could the board have voted on going into executive sesssion.

Instead, after a pause Manning called for a vote on the motion to enter executive session.

Why did McKie rush to shut off discussion about the recording that had occurred during the April 28th executive session? Was she worried that more might be said about the violation of Board Policy BEC? Might the recording party have been mentioned by name? Is there more for the public to learn about that?

Committee of the Whole needs real people, too

On April 26, 2022 the school board formed the Committee of the Whole on Safety & Security. And we all know what happened on April 28, after Teresa Holmes laughed while Lashonda McFadden was speaking.

The board had jumped into an illegal executive session to discuss organization of the Committee. That was not an allowed exception for a public body to meet in private. 

The Committee has met since.

When will the Committee begin adding parents, community members, teachers, staff, administrators AND students to beome valued members of the Committee?

How many years has the superintendent had to do something about safety & security? Maybe the superintendent shouldn't even be on the Committee. Just get out of the way.

How many years has the Board had to do something about safety & security?

With a lot of fanfare and publicity, the superintendent assembled the BeSMART Coalition in December 2021. Since then? Nothing. Nada. Zilch. 

Why should we think anything new will come up, with the same people running the show?

Let's get down to where the rubber meets the road. There is hard work to do. It's time for Tough Love for the miscreants in Richland 2 who think it's smart to tote a gun to school or fight or bully. 

In fact, the Board itself (and the Committee) could use some Tough Love. Stop the bullying. Stop the fighting. Act like the professionals you are supposed to be.

Inflation Survey

Following is a portion of an email I received from Hillsdale College (Mich.) asking for opinions on inflation.

Take a couple of minutes and complete this short survey.

Be sure to sign up for their free bulletin, Imprimis.

Inflation is on the rise in America. And there’s no sign of it slowing down.

Economic historian John Steele Gordon discussed inflation in a recent issue of Imprimis, Hillsdale College’s digest of liberty. And he noted that adding trillions more to the national debt is not the solution but will only make the problem worse.

Nevertheless, support for socialism and other ideologies destructive of the free market also appears to be on the rise in our country, especially among younger Americans.

That’s why you’re receiving this email today.

Hillsdale College seeks to understand more clearly what Americans think about our nation’s economy and the inflation we’re experiencing. And I’m hoping you can help by completing our National Survey on Inflation in the United States using the secure link below:

https://lp.hillsdale.edu/national-survey-on-inflation/ 

Open Letter to the School Board

The following email has been sent to the Richland 2 School Board:

Members of the board,

What's wrong with the first two paragraphs in The State's article, first published about May 8th and re-published today in the eEdition of The State on Page 6A at 

https://eedition.thestate.com/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=3cdedd76-5d46-4519-afe3-75712ef022b3

The original article and the reprint say three board members were involved: 1. The board chair (reporting); 2. "another board member"; and 3. "one of her (the chair's) colleagues".

Is the RCSD report, on which that article is apparently based, correct?

Is that what Holmes told the deputy?

Did the deputy misunderstand Holmes?

Did the reporter misunderstand the RCSD report?

I urge you to open a formal public hearing into the April 28 meeting. Why has the District's Media Relations Department been silent? It certainly had a lot to say after the January 25th incident.

Was the executive session a legal closed session? The Motion was faulty. You can't go into a closed meeting for a "meeting". You can't meet privately to organize a Committee. Please get an expert opinion from someone entirely independent of the District.

To what extent, if any, did Holmes initiate the resulting conflict? Why did she laugh while Lashonda was speaking?

Why would Teresa call Lashona "honey"?

Why would Teresa taunt Lashonda with "Little girl, little girl, little girl"?

Why would Teresa say, “And what you gonna do, boo? So, what you gonna do? Do it! Do it!”

Why didn't Holmes immediately call a Recess?

Why did Holmes egg Mrs. McFadden on?

You can't pick a fight and then cry "Victim".

Trustee McFadden has made a genuine and heartfelt apology to Holmes and all.

Yet, there hasn't been a peep out of Holmes.

I urge you to remove Holmes as Chair immediately, even though only five weeks remain in the School Year. And certainly you should not elect her as an officer for the coming School Year.

Gus Philpott

www.Richland2.info 

https://richland2sd.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-state-re-publishes-erroneous-account.html

The State re-publishes erroneous account

Why would The State newspaper re-publish an erroneous account of the blow-out at the April 28 executive session (assuming it was even a legal executive session) at that day's special-called board meeting.

In the May 22, 2022 "e-edition" of The State, viewable on www.thestate.com, the original article by reporter Bristow Marchant is re-published.

Did The State make errors in the first two paragraphs? 

Or did Teresa Holmes make a false report to the Richland County Sheriff's Department?

The first two paragraphs read:

"The chairwoman of the Richland 2 school board filed a police report claiming that another board member threatened to beat one of her colleagues during a heated exchange at a board meeting last week, according to the report. 

"Chairwoman Teresa Holmes filed the report with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department after a special called meeting April 28, during which another board member reportedly cursed another member and threatened to “beat (a third board member's body part),” according to the report."

Source: e-edition of The State.com, 5/22/2022, Page 6A

When I read the first newspaper article, about May 8th, I thought that three board members were involved: 1. Chair Holmes; 2. "another board member"; and 3. "one of her colleagues".

Pretty quickly I guessed that only two board members were involved: Teresa Holmes and someone else. Why else would Holmes be filing a report with the sheriff's department, just to tattle on two different board members?

And that is exactly how it turns out. Holmes accused McFadden.

Did the reporter mis-read the sheriff's department report? Or is the RCSD report wrong?

I'm still waiting for the sheriff's department to respond to my FOIA Request for the report itself. They gave it to The State. So where is my copy?

This all brought back to mind the false report on file with the sheriff's department after Holmes complained on March 19, 2019 that I had been harassing her. The deputy's report contained many false statements, which is why the case stopped abruptly when I pointed out the lies.

Did the deputy misunderstand each of Holmes' statements on March 19, 2019? Or did Holmes lie when she complained to the deputy? 

Unfortunately, the deputy failed to collect a written statement from Holmes. Had he done so, and if her written statement included each of the lies in the deputy's report, I would have had Holmes charged with Filing a False Report with police.

I can't wait to read the deputy's report of Holmes' complaint on April 28, 2022. I hope this time they collected a written statement from her!

Discipline Holmes for her part on 4/28/2022!

Should Teresa Holmes be disciplined by the Board for her part in the chaos at the executive session on April 28, 2022?

Read in this week's BlythewoodOnline what Holmes said that escalated the incident.

Why did Holmes abandon her role as board chair? Why did she strike the first match by laughing while Lashonda was speaking? Why didn't she quickly restore order, instead of adding fuel to the fire? 

Because she was right in the middle of it. 

She could have backed out of it. She could have called for Order. And, if she hadn't gotten it, she could have declared a recess and, because she was engaged in it, she could have stepped out of the room.

But did she?

No, she egged Lashonda on. 

Lashonda has apologized to Holmes, to the board, to her family, to the public. Has there been even one word from Holmes about accepting that apology?

If Holmes hasn't accepted the apology by now, she's not going to. And it's too late now. 

There is a Board Policy about conduct. The Board should admonish or censure Holmes. Will it? Of course not. The majority should. It won't. Even Holmes should admit that her own behavior was wrong.

How did Holmes contribute to the 4/28/22 chaos?

Be sure to read yesterday's article in The Voice of Blythewood & Fairfield County about the chaos at the April 28th executive session of the school board. It is an excellent article by Debra McCown.

McCown provides detail not included in other media releases. You'll be able to understand better what led to the chaos that afternoon.

The public (and board members) have witnessed the months of disrespect shown by Teresa Holmes to Lashonda McFadden. Teresa has cut Lashonda off in board meetings, spoken to her in a condescending manner, over-talked her at many meetings. 

Why would Teresa laugh while Lashonda was speaking during the meeting? 

Why would Teresa say, "“Finish your statement, honey. Do what you gotta do.”  

Why would Teresa say, “Little girl, little girl, little girl”?

Why would Teresa say, “And what you gonna do, boo? So, what you gonna do? Do it! Do it!”

Why would Teresa egg Lashonda on and the count the "crimes"?

The Board's lack of knowledge of parliamentary procedure has contributed to the chaos. The District spent a lot of money on two "executive-coaching" sessions that produced nothing in the way of improved behavior by Teresa. 

Teresa's term-of-office as Board Chair runs out June 28. What will happen at the next three meetings?

I've believed for a long time that you can't pick a fight and then cry "Victim". If you stick your jaw out and say, "Hit me. Hit me" and then get hit, you're going to lose in court.

If someone is tailgating you and you brake-check that driver, you will not collect from his (or her) insurance. Don't believe me? Try it.

Election of Officers - June 28

                                                        (June 29, 2021 Election of Officers)

At the second school board meeting in June (June 28, 2022), the board will elect its officers for the School Year 2022-2023. Whom will the board nominate this year? More correctly asked, whom with The Core Four elect this year?

You may remember the election for the current year's officers (Chair, ViceChair, Secretary). At the June 29, 2021 board meeting I implored the trustees to elect only fully-qualified board members as officers.

Last year Teresa Holmes and Amelia McKie were not fully-qualified board members. As of that date neither had taken the oath-of-office legally. And they still haven't!!! Yet the Core Four elected Holmes as Chair and McKie as Secretary.

The entire June 29, 2021 board meeting can be viewed by clicking on the image above or using this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv3NNForW5k

My comments during public participation start at 16:30 on the timer ribbon.

When nominations opened, Trustee Manning immediately nominated Teresa Holmes as chair. That can be viewed at 1:22:25 on the timer. Manning was nominated and elected as Vice Chair. Then Caution-Parker nominated a second unqualified person, Amelia McKie, as Secretary, and The Core Four elected her!

So much for legality; right?

Why did Manning nominate Holmes? Why did the superintendent accept that nominatin? Why did the majority of the board elect Holmes? (That's an easy one to answer; but had Holmes recused herself from the vote, rather than voting for herself, the vote would have 3-3, and her nomination would have failed.) Why did Caution-Parker nominated a peson less than fully-qualified. Again, an easy question to answer.

I was going to trim out just a portion of the meeting but the District, in its infinite wisdom, decided to privatize the videos of the public meeting so that just a portion can no longer be trimmed out for easier viewing by you. Their explanation to me skirted the issue and rang 100% false.

Complaint re AR KI-R - Second Request

Today I have sent a follow-up to my March 8th complaint about the improper administration of Administraive Rule KI-R.

Chair Holmes and members of the board,

I have not received any acknowledgement or response from Ms. McKie or anyone else to my complaint sent to her 2½ months ago. This complaint is not part of my grievance. Do you have a record of action taken on my complaint by Ms. McKie after she received it? What did she do with it?

My March 8, 2022 complaint was filed about an Administrative Rule of Richland 2 that is being improperly administered. I request again that my complaint be addressed, that I have the opportunity to speak to the complaint, and that the appropriate authority in the District take action, without further delay, to correct the erroneous administration of AR KI-R.

AR KI-R reads, in part, (authorized personnel) "... may issue a verbal or written "no trespass" notice for the school facility..." 

"Facility" is singular. AR KI-R authorizes a "no trespass" notice for a single facility, not for "ALL [sic] properties, facilities, campuses and buildings", which is the wording in the No Trespass Notice issued to me on January 26, 2022.

Please acknowledge that you, the trustees and the Administrators of Richland School District Two understand that "facility" is singular and cause the District to issue a correctly-worded No Trespass Notice (Letter) to me.

Sincerely,

Gus Philpott

Sumter middle school - site of assault and disruption of school

Read this from an article in The State newspaper about two women who attacked students in a middle school in Sumter.

"If convicted on the assault charge, each woman faces a maximum sentence of a year in prison, while a conviction on the misdemeanor disturbing schools charge is punishable by a maximum of 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine, according to South Carolina law." Read more at: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article261598142.html#storylink=cpy

So, thinking back to January 25, if the Richland 2 superintendent did, as reported, charge at Gary Ginn and had to be restrained by Richland 2 security officers and board members, and if Pamela Davis did disrupt schools by shouting at me in the boardroom and cussing out a 14-year-old student, weren't they subject to these same charges and penalties?

How did the sheriff's department and solicitor's office make their decisions so quickly, less than 24 hours later, that no crimes had been committed? 

RCSD had my written statement, but they never talked to me. The 14-year-old student says RCSD never talked to him. Did RCSD ever interview Gary Ginn? If they didn't talk to the victims, to whom did they talk?

Who on Board violated Policy and Law?

The following email has been sent to Teresa Holmes, with copies to other board members and the superintendent. 

Good afternoon, Chair Holmes,

I am writing to file a complaint against the board member(s), including yourself, who (1) disclosed matters from the April 28, 2022 executive session at the Special-Called Board Meeting to the Richland County Sheriff's Department (RCSD) and to local media; (2)  recorded portions of the executive session; and (3) provided recordings to the RCSD.

Recording was in direct violation of Board Policy BEC which reads, in part: "Under the state's open meeting laws, board members and other persons attending the executive session are duty bound not to disclose matters discussed in the session. Board members or any other persons attending will not use tape recorders or any other means of sonic or video reproduction to record executive sessions."

Such recording was also in direct violation of South Carolina Code of Laws SECTION 30-4-90(c).

SECTION 30-4-90. Minutes of meetings of public bodies.
(c) All or any part of a meeting of a public body may be recorded by any person in attendance by means of a tape recorder or any other means of sonic or video reproduction, except when a meeting is closed pursuant to Section 30-4-70 of this chapter, provided that in so recording there is no active interference with the conduct of the meeting. Provided, further, that the public body is not required to furnish recording facilities or equipment.

I request that the board hear and discuss my complaint in open session for the purpose of full disclosure to the public.

Please address my complaint under Board Policy KE and provide me with updates during the progress of consideration of this complaint.

The public will take note that Board Policy KE was revised (watered down) on March 22, 2022 to eliminate the requirement that the board must consider complaints not satisfactorily resolved by the superintendent.

Trustee McFadden Apologized

Trustee Lashonda McFadden held a press conference at R2i2 yesterday to publicly apologize for her participation in the incident at the special-called board meeting on April 28.

This was honorable conduct by her and should be accepted in the spirit in which it was given.

Teresa Holmes did not attend yesterday's meeting of the Committee of the Whole.

Why Kali Fontanilla stopped teaching

Watch this hard-hitting video from PragerU. This former teacher (Salinas, Calif.) hits the nail squarely on its head.

Kali Fontanilla, founder of Exodus Institute, knows what she is talking about. Check out her home-school program.

Spread this video far and wide. Use the "Email this" button at the bottom of this article to forward to your friends, colleagues, neighbors.

And read this 2021 Epoch Times article about Kali.

Roll Call required at board meeting

More than once in the past 2-3 years I have urged the school board to call the roll at board meetings. Why is this important?

It is essential for a public body to be certain who was present and who was not. The main reason is to confirm that a quorum was present. For the Richland 2 School Board, that's five members to be present. And it should be five legitimate members.

Immediately after calling the meeting to order, the chair should direct the Secretary to call the roll by name. If a member is attending by telephone, that should be so stated. Then announce whether a quorum is present. If a quorum is present, then the chair can proceed with the business on the agenda.

For some unknown reason, the board entertains a motion to leave executive session aftet they have returned to the main meeting room. South Carolina law allows the executive session to decide to return to public session.

SECTION 30-4-70. Meetings which may be closed; procedure; circumvention of chapter; disruption of meeting; executive sessions of General Assembly.

(b) ... No action may be taken in executive session except to (a) adjourn or (b) return to public session." 

Once the board returns to public session, the correct motion would be to re-convene (after the executive session). Richland 2 school board never does that. 

What they currently do is vote to leave executive session. They never vote to re-convene.

When the board does re-convene, roll call should be taken again.

Why should they do that? Simple. To comply with State law. When they had the consultant come in for two Executive Coaching and Parliamentary Procedures training, that should have been explained to the board. It wasn't.

SECTION 30-4-90. Minutes of meetings of public bodies.

(a) All public bodies shall keep written minutes of all of their public meetings. Such minutes shall include but need not be limited to:

(1) The date, time and place of the meeting.

(2) The members of the public body recorded as either present or absent.

The Minutes do state who was present and who was not; HOWEVER, the members were never recorded as present or absent during the meeting. The recording secretary (not the Secretary) notes who was there. Because there was no roll call, no "record" was made at the time who was present.

Thus, at every meeting the board approves Minutes that are incorrect.

If a member departs before the end of the meeting, the chair should immediately announce who left and at what (correct) time. If that member was attending by phone, it's even more important. The member on the phone should state that s/he is leaving, so that the chair can announce the departure and time. That departure could affect whether the meeting can legally continue.

"Special" Committee meeting 5/16/2022, 5:30PM, R2i2

The following email has been sent to Richland 2 school board.

Please discuss tomorrow what "Special" means for the 5/16/22 Committee of the Whole meeting. On the District's website, the meeting is announced as "SPECIAL COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE WHOLE ON SAFETY AND SECURITY".

Please create a space on the Richland 2 website where meeting content and remarks will be posted quickly after meetings, so that parents, community members, business owners, employees, teachers, students, and staff will be aware of what you are doing.

Please also describe to the public how the Committee is separate from the board.

Please livestream the Committee meetings.

Please explain to the public how your Committee is organized, who is in charge of it, and how you will include the public in the future, since Public Participation is not on your agenda.

If Minutes are kept, please ensure they are more expansive than Board Minutes are.

For your committee work, please describe how it will work with the BeSMART initiative and local organizations, such as Building Better Communities (BBC), that are attempting to reduce gun violence. You don't really have to re-invent the wheel.

Email the board and tell them what you want. Use this string to email add board members:

teresaholmes@richland2.org, ameliamckie@richland2.org, cherylcautionparker@richland2.org, jamesmanning@richland2.org, lashondamcfadden@richland2.org, lindsayagostini@richland2.org, puttingstudentsfirst2012@gmail.com, 

Committee of the Whole for Safety & Security (4/28/2022)

The Committee was created by the school board at its Regular Meeting on April 26, 2022.

On April 28, 2022 the Committee held its organizational meeting in a special-called board meeting. This is the one that blew up in executive session, which may itself have been illegal.

The livestream.com/richland2.com recording starts at 05:21 on the ribbon timer.

When the meeting convened at 4:30PM, Teresa Holmes, as chair of the school board, made an introductory statement before the Motion to enter executive session was made.

During her statement, Holmes said (06:05), "Before we do that (the Motion), let me take a point-of-order [sic] here. I want to make a little clarity to the public tonight. This meeting is the way that we have to get to the public forums 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 we want to do. Dr. Davis and I will come back later after and give a brief little update. But I wanted 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 Holmes called for the motion to enter executive session.

This organizational meeting should have been announced as a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, not as a special-called board meeting. Nothing Holmes said qualified the meeting they were about to have as an executive session. The entire meeting should have been open to the public and live-streamed.

What "private things" does Holmes have in mind?

This Committee is part of the public body (school board). There aren't going to be any "private things". 

Or are there?

Why one, but not the other?

Isn't it the rule in schools that, if kids are fighting, they both (or all) get kicked out of school? Isn't it Zero Tolerance?

Why doesn't that apply in the boardroom?

For example, back on January 25th when Pamela Davis was disruptive and shouting before the board meeting started, why wasn't she escorted out and put on Trespass Notice?

Why wasn't Pamela Davis escorted out and put on Trespass Notice, after she cussed out a 14-year-old student in the boardroom?

A. Because she is Mrs. Baron Davis!

When Baron Davis rushed at Gary Ginn (I believe Gary), why wasn't he escorted out and put on Trespass Notice?

A. Because he is the superintendent and gives the orders to Richland 2 security officers!

Why did Gary Ginn get escorted out and put on Trespass Notice, after he intervened when Pamela Davis cussed out a 14-year-old student who was present?

Why did I get kicked out after introducing myself to Pamela Davis?

A. It was retaliation for writing a blog about Richland 2 for almost three years (at that time), sending many emails to the superintendent and board, criticizing the District's and Board's failure to remove Holmes and McKie for never taking the oath-of-office legally, and speaking out at many board meetings.

Did Richland 2 ever investigate my complaint against Pamela Davis that I filed with the Principal of Blythewood High School, where she is a teacher? I presume he forwarded it up the food chain. On whose desk did it die without action? I'm told it is an "HR Issue" and therefore confidential. But there is a documentated procedure for handling complaints. And one of the steps is NOT "Sweep it under the rug."

And did the S.C. Department of Education ever investigate my complaint against Pamela Davis over her antics in the boardroom on January 25? On whose desk over there did the complaint die?

When I spoke quietly and politely to the black woman I did not know and had never seen before at a board meeting, I had no way of knowing the level of angst that would be immediately created by those four simple, short words, "Hello, I'm Gus Philpott."

I had absolutely no idea who she was. Nor did the two other men or the 14-year-old student. 

Pamela Davis told Judi Gatson, WIS-TV anchor, that she had seen Gary Ginn and me "many times" at meetings. She told Judi she had felt "intimidated", "threatened", "targeted". Is that why she sat down immediately behind where I was standing (and right in front of Gary Ginn, the student and another man?

She must have really gotten some strong coaching before she sat down for WIS-TV.

She said she was "very uncomfortable when they (Gary and I) approached her". She flat-out lied, because Gary and I did not approach it. I stepped around to be in front of her to introduce myself. Why did she lie?

She also lied when she said "one of the men called security over after she refused to answer their question." That isn't how it happened. No one was asking her questions. After I was seated about 20 feet away from her and a security officer was standing between her and me. I told the security officer that I wanted a deputy sheriff as an independent observer. That's when a female deputy came over, and she and I stepped into an adjacent hallway.. 

Pamela Davis was playing the classic victim. Black woman is the victim. White male is the oppressor. Straight out of the CRT playbook.

About two weeks later a black acquaintance told me, "You do know you got set up; right?" Until that day, I had not thought about it in those terms. Once I gave it more thought, I decided he was right.

Why else would Pamela Davis shout, "I KNOW WHO YOU ARE! DON'T TALK TO ME! GET AWAY FROM ME!" as soon as I said, "Hello, I'm Gus Philpott"?

Watch Pamela Davis' performance on WIS-TV right here.

Can Holmes Block Me from her FB page?

Should I be able to access to Teresa Holmes' Facebook page?

She does block me from her "DrTeresa [sic] Holmes" page. Can she do so legally?

Holmes is an elected person. I won't refer to her as an "elected official", because she has never taken the oath-of-office legally. An oath was administered to her on November 13, 2018, but that was three full weeks before she first became eligible to take it. 

However, she considers herself a public official, as does Richland 2.

She was required to take the oath-of-office (legally) before commencing the duties of the office. Yet she was allowed to attend her first executive session (November 13, 2018) and then vote on board motions before her term of office had even begun (November 16, 2018). She filed her SEI on December 4, 2018 and has never taken the oath-of-office since that date.

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.

The U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in January 2019 that "the interactive portion of a public official’s Facebook page is a “public forum,” so an official cannot block people from it because of the opinions they hold." [Source: ACLU blog]

The article continues: "As the court rightly held, that includes any time that they’re controlling a Facebook page they maintain in their official roles. Specifically, the court recognized that when a public official uses a Facebook page as a tool of governance — that is, when she uses it to inform the public about her government work, solicits input on policy issues through the page, and swathes it “in the trappings of her office” — she is controlling the page as a government actor.

"And if she opens that page to public comment, the interactive space of the Facebook page constitutes a public forum." ibid.

That decision was in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals; it was a Virginia case. Columbia, S.C. is in the jurisdiction of the same Federal Court of Appeals.

Maybe I'll have a pay to visit to the ACLU office this next week. 

I wonder. Would Teresa ask Richland 2 to pay her legal fees to defend her blocking me from her Facebook page? Would Supt. Davis just put her invoice through Accounting? Or would he say, "No way, José. You're on your own"?

Many thanks to the reader and friend who tipped me off to that article!