Appreciation for dedicated, bold teachers

I want to take this opportunity to thank those Richland 2 teachers and staff who are contacting me and feeding me the dirt on the District. Your confidentiality is guaranteed. I know you care about the District and the students and that you do not like what is coming down from the top. Especially the D-E-I nonsense.

Some of you have identified yourselves; some are calling and are understandably reluctant to give me your names. I understand that completely.

You fear retaliation and retribution for speaking out about what is wrong in Richland 2. And there is a lot wrong. 

I understand the superintendent said in his so-far secret convocation on Tuesday that Richland 2 is under attack.

That's kind of like Putin says Russia is under attack, when Ukraine blows up some of its tanks.

I wrote a blog in Illinois before moving to Columbia in 2014, and the sheriff's department and several local police departments were often mentioned. Deputies and officers contacted me with the dirt, and it drove the sheriff crazy. He couldn't find the leaks.

After one deputy was fired and filed a wrongful termination lawsuit in Federal Court, the sheriff had his attorney subpoena 27 months' worth of my blog records for all communications received from any current or former employees of the sheriff's department.

I was alerted that the subpoena was on the way, and I cleaned out my computer and stored all other communications elsewhere. After I received the subpoena in the mail, I filed a Motion to Quash pro se.

When I appeared before the Federal Magistrate on my Motion, he asked me two questions, and then he sank his teeth into the sheriff's attorney, telling her she was just on a "fishing expedition" (his exact words) and that the subpoena didn't have anything to do with case.

The magistrate's words still ring in my ears. "Mr. Philpott, you have won your motion." How sweet it is!

I knew it could go the other way. I was prepared to go to jail to protect the identity of the people who had trusted me with the information.

It's the same with you. I shall never reveal your names or anything that can identify you.