The State newspaper reports this afternoon that Trustee Lashonda McFadden has been arrested on a complaint filed by Teresa Holmes.
As soon as I heard the news about 4:15PM, I called the Richland County Bond Court. I wanted to know how much the bond was, and I was ready to drive straight there and post it. I learned that the bond will be a Personal Recognizance (P.R.) bond (no money), and that Lashonda would be released on her own signature 1-4 hours after court today. Maybe she had already been released.
For months I have watched Holmes disrespect Lashonda, along with Trustees Agostini and Scott. She has constantly interrupted Lashonda and put her down, as if Holmes' longer time on the Board and her self-importance of being this School Year's (acting) Board Chair makes her Queen of the Board. ("acting", I say, because Holmes is not a legal board member.)
Holmes has demonstrated a serious lack of knowledge of parliamentary procedures and Robert's Rules of Order. The recent executive coaching sessions were worthless; I don't think Holmes learned anything.
Whoever recorded the chaos on April 28th committed a serious violation of Board Policy BEC.
The initial newspaper articles were misleading. I guessed that there were not three people involved. The articles seem to report that Holmes had reported a conflict between another board member and a colleague. That's three people.
But now it appears that Holmes was the alleged victim. But was she really? Did she instigate the confrontation? That will get sorted out through depositions. If Teresa is smart, she'll withdraw the charge. You can't start a fight and then claim to be a victim.
I've been watching Teresa conduct board meetings recently, and I can assure you that I would not want to get into a fight with her. And why would Lashonda? Look at the weight difference!
But what would keep me out of the fight would be Teresa's weapons. Look at that huge, metal, man's watch that she wears on her left wrist. One whack with that, and I'd be down for the count.
And if she hit me with all that jewelry on the fingers on her right hand? First time I noticed them, I wondered why the security officers at R2i2 didn't ask her to leave her weapons in her car. If she clobbered me in the face, I'd probably lose an eye and some teeth, and I'd probably have a broken jaw.
Why would a Board Chair allow a verbal argument to continue for so long? Why didn't she act and call a halt to it? Teresa participated in the argument. Should she have been arrested, too?
How soon did she decide to file charges? Was she even thinking about it before that meeting ever started? Why was another board member so quick to start recording? Will that Board member be disciplined for violating Board Policy BEC?
Will Teresa be disciplined for violating Board Policy BEC by revealing proceedings from an executive session if, indeed, it really was a legal executive session which, I suggest, it was not.
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