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.
No comments:
Post a Comment